Home biogas plants mass-produced and available through global distribution arrived at around 2015 when we first published this article. The company which makes them has grown much larger since, and has not only moved on with new models but is also supplying a range of home biogas accessories.
We said these were:
Well-designed flat-pack home Anaerobic Digestion Plant Units for all,
and that still remains our view in 2021.
At last, well-designed flat-pack home Biogas Plant Units, are available for all for (warm climate) developed countries. It was only a matter of time before someone hit upon the idea of crowdfunding to finance the development of an anaerobic digestion plant designed for western/ developed nation home biogas production.
Now it has been done – or so it would seem!
Home sized biogas unit lets you convert your own organic waste into cooking fuel
It’s never been easier to generate your own power. Israeli startup Home Biogas has developed a relatively affordable home-sized biogas unit that allows people to convert their own waste into fuel. The compact unit, which is currently running a crowdfunding campaign to support its production costs, lets everyday homeowners convert their organic waste into enough gas for 2-4 hours of cooking and 5 to 8 liters of liquid fertilizer per day.
The HomeBiogas unit is a perfect match for homeowners who would like to start a full-cycle waste recovery system in the comfort of their own home. The unit has the ability to take in up to 6 liters per day of any food waste or up to 15 liters per day of animal manure and turn it into fuel for cooking as well as organic fertilizer.
HomeBiogas is being marketed to the average homeowner, either already off-grid or just looking into a “homemade” renewable energy source. According to the system details, the unit can convert just one kilogram of food waste into about 200 liters (7 cubic feet) of gas, more than enough to fuel an hour’s worth of cooking.
In addition to its reasonable cost and exceptional environmental value, the sleek rectangular unit is quite easy to use and easy-to-assemble. In fact, it measures in at 48”x65”x39.4” and weighs less than 88 pounds.
If you’re interested in buying the HomeBiogas unit, the company is offering supporters an opportunity on their crowdfunding page to reserve one with a pledge of $890. Once the campaign is over, the unit will go back to its regular retail price of $1500.
via Home sized biogas unit lets you convert your own organic waste into cooking fuel
Meanwhile, Treehugger has a slightly different view on this:
Home-sized biogas unit turns organic waste into cooking fuel and fertilizer, for under $900: TreeHugger
A startup from Israel has developed a home-sized biogas unit that can take organic waste and convert it into enough gas for 2-4 hours of cooking, as well as 5 to 8 liters of organic liquid fertilizer, every single day.
The accurately-named Home Biogas device could herald a new dawn for full-circle local waste recovery for both on- and off-grid homes, because it has the ability to take in up to 6 liters per day of any food waste (including both meat and dairy, which are often not recommended for home composting) or up to 15 liters per day of animal manure (including pet waste, which is also considered a no-no in home composting), and turn that into enough fuel to cook several meals per day, while also producing a rich organic fertilizer that can boost soil fertility and garden yields.
While many home biogas initiatives tend to be focused on the developing world, where animal and human waste can be converted into a clean-burning fuel for cooking or heating water, providing a renewable local energy source, this project is aimed at the suburban market, where it can function as a valuable component of a home's energy network, either as an adjunct to grid-based systems or as an off-grid accessory.
© According to HomeBiogas, 1 kilogram of food waste can produce an average of about 200 liters (7 cubic feet) of gas, which can fuel an hour's worth of cooking over a high flame, so with a full daily input of 6 liters of organic waste, the company's units can produce several hours of cooking gas each day, and can help homes eliminate one ton of organic waste each year, and avoid generating the equivalent of 6 tons of CO2 annually.
Here's the video pitch for the HomeBiogas units:
via Home-sized biogas unit turns organic waste into cooking fuel and fertilizer, for under $900
Summary
So, here you have it. Is this really going to be the first true Home Biogas Plant for the developed world, turning waste into gas and fertilizer?
Food waste and declining energy sources are major environmental hazards. Biogas is the solution.
It's a natural process in which organic waste is converted into cooking gas. So five years ago we went on a mission to bring biogas to every home regroup the best engineers scientists designers and product people together.”
Marketing manager of HomeBiogas Ron Yariv said:
Homebiogas is the first family sized user friendly affordable biogas system. It is the change and you can put it in your backyard home biogas plant comes in and easy to assemble kit and its uses a simple-as-can-be [system] just throwing your organic waste in there.
You go [and get your] hot stove ready for cooking. [It produces] a cycle of in-house energy and it runs with no electricity or leftovers, [but also it] provides you [with a claimed] two to three hours of energy and … handy kitchen leftovers, including meat and dairy products…. even your pet's litter. via Home Biogas Plant -Turning waste into gas and Fertilizer – Do Science!
[End of the article as first published in November 2015: Latest update June 2021.]
