Investigating the obstacles of biogas productions and applications in Iran

Biomass is the only renewable energy source that can provide heating and cooling in form of solid, liquid, gas, and deliver electricity. Biomass supplies up to 12% of the world's primary energy and up to 80% of the world's energy consumption. Iran is one of the country that has the high potential of producing and utilizing biomass as an energy source. The potential of biomass sources in Iran is estimated to be 132 million ton (oil equivalent) in the form of agricultural and forest wastes, livestock wastes, municipal wastes, sewage and industrial wastes. Taking into account the usual amount of biogas yield from agricultural wastes, animal wastes, municipal wastes and industrial and municipal wastewater and with good safety factor, biogas in Iran will generate about 16146.35 million m3 that is approximately 323 petajoule of energy. However, in 2012, about 194.8 million ton of renewable energy was consumed in the world and about 0.1 million ton was consumed in Iran. This paper investigates the potential of biogas production from biomass sources in Iran and presents obstacles of its application in Iran that are namely; Fuel low cost, low preliminary investment, lack of technical knowledge and experts.