Article
How anaerobic digestion works
Four bacterial stages turn organic waste into methane-rich biogas.
Anaerobic digestion happens without oxygen. Hydrolysis breaks complex material into simpler compounds, acidogenesis and acetogenesis convert those into acids and acetate, and methanogens finally produce methane and carbon dioxide.
Stability depends on temperature, consistent feeding and the absence of soap, disinfectant, sand and plastic in the feed.