ANAEROBIC DIGESTION EFFICIENCY IN BIOENERGY PRODUCTION FROM AGRICULTURAL FEEDSTOCKS

The growing demand for sustainable energy solutions has led to increased interest in biogas production from agricultural feed stocks through anaerobic digestion (AD). India, being an agrarian economy, generates a vast amount of agricultural waste, which presents a significant opportunity for renewable energy generation. This paper comprehensively examines the anaerobic digestion process, highlighting its technological advancements, feedstock availability, production potential, and economic feasibility in India. The paper elaborates on the four-stage process of AD, including hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogens. Detailing the required infrastructural setups and retention periods for efficient gas yield. A comparative analysis of various agricultural feedstock’s, such as rice husks, wheat straw, and sugarcane bagasse, is conducted based on their calorific values and biodegradability. The research also explores advancements in AD technologies, including high-solid anaerobic digestion (HSAD), two-stage digestion, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, and anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs), assessing their applicability and efficiency for Indian conditions. Case studies from different regions of India are reviewed to evaluate real-world applications of AD in rural and industrial settings. The results indicate that optimizing process parameters, feedstock selection, and the integration of advanced technologies can significantly enhance biogas yield and system efficiency. The study concludes that large-scale adoption of anaerobic digestion of agricultural residues can substantially contribute to India's energy security, waste management, and climate change mitigation strategies. Future recommendations include the development of decentralized biogas plants, the use of artificial intelligence for process optimization, and further research on microbial consortia to enhance methane production