As a biogas technology, biomethanation has been employed in different practical uses, mainly for unpollution and energy generation, for nearly a century. This practice has proved that both developed and developing countries are its potential users.
Among those regions where biomethanation has achieved success, Latin America is an important one. In Latin America, the most diversified
... [Show full abstract] implementation of biogas technology can be found. In some of the fields, such as anaerobic treatment of sewage and landfill gas exploitation, Latin America is playing a leading role in the world or among the developing countries. Moreover, many experiences have been achieved by the Latin Americans in the methodologies of administration and diffusion programmes/projects. There is no doubt that all these contribute a precious part to the research and development of this technology in the world.
Unfortunately, biomethanation in Latin America is not a subject which has received enough study. Only few surveys have been published so far. Most of them are either out of date or incomplete because many of the important biomethanation research and development events have only taken place in recent years in this region. Moreover, these overviews are mostly restricted either within a certain sector or within a certain country/subregion. Therefore, although more than one thousand publications concerning all main aspects of biomethanation in Latin America are available, the information remains rather scattered.
The objective of this study is chosen to make up for this. Emphasis is placed on a survey as recent and as complete as possible, regarding Latin America as a whole region and reaching all the rural, agro-industrial and urban sectors. Efforts are made to summarise the research and development of the biomethanation in different time and space, the technical achievements and the positive experience, to study the problems met and the possible future development trends. Finally, some recommendations are made.
The project of the survey of biogas in Latin America started its preparation at the end of 1989. The present publication is the result of a three-year effort. However, it is not an easy task to present the wide range of technical aspects of biomethanation concisely, comprehensively and clearly, and at the same time to consider constantly the socio-economic context in which it is used. So, on this subject, much still remains to be done in further studies.
