Comprehensive utilizations of biogas in Inner Mongolia, China

With the increasing number of large scale and centralized livestock farms in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR), there is an urgent need to dispose huge amount of animal excrement. In combining with economic restructuring in agricultural and pastoral areas in IMAR, it is an important means to facilitate the development of circular economy and to increase the incomes of farmers by fully utilizing biogas as the link to actively promote the integrated eco-agricultural industry in IMAR. In accordance with the development of circular economy, comprehensive utilizations of biogas is an effective mode to make use of agricultural organic wastes, which can significantly improve the efficiency of resource consumption, extend the agricultural production chain, fulfill “win-win-win” situation between economic development, ecological improvement and structural optimization, and acquire larger economic, social and environmental benefits. Based upon the investigation of biomass resources in IMAR, China and the experience on bioenergy development from developed countries, the purpose of this study is to institute the theoretical foundation to formulate policy on bioenergy development, to support the progress of bioenergy technologies, to establish specific system of bioenergy industry, to gradually fulfill the large-scale development of bioenergy, and to provide clean, efficient and commercialized bioenergy to energy market. The study is mainly focusing on four main animal husbandry areas in IMAR, Chifeng, Erdos, Huhhot, and Xilinguole, namely, to survey the biogas utilizations on large-scale farms, to assess the potential of biogas power generation and comprehensive utilizations, to carry out the post-project analysis on established and representative biogas projects, and to propose a mode of biogas comprehensive utilizations in according with the characteristics of IMAR.