Tool · Biogas
Biogas table
Methane cost of maize meal, PrimeBoost, wheat bran and a product of your own.
Biogas and energy
Biogas table
What does methane cost when it is produced from maize meal, PrimeBoost or wheat bran? Enter the purchase prices: the table calculates yields, electrical kWh and costs with the dry matter, biogas and methane values supplied by Alpha. You can add a product of your own by entering its composition.
How we calculate
Values from Alpha’s table. Maize meal: DM 87%, 724 m³ of biogas per t of DM, methane 50.5%. PrimeBoost: DM 78%, 796 m³/t DM, methane 56%. Wheat bran: DM 87%, 460 m³/t DM, methane 58%. These values cannot be changed.
Formulas. Biogas per t as fed = biogas per t of DM × DM % (rounded to the unit, as in the table). Methane per t as fed = biogas per t as fed × methane %. Electrical kWh per t as fed = methane per t as fed × 4.2 (electrical kWh per m³ of methane: about 9.97 kWh per m³ × 42% electrical efficiency). Methane and electrical kWh per t of DM = values per t as fed ÷ DM %. Cost per m³ of biogas = price ÷ biogas per t as fed; cost per m³ of methane = price ÷ methane per t as fed; cost per electrical kWh (€/kWh) = price ÷ electrical kWh per t as fed.
Additional product: Baserga equations. With digestible carbohydrates (C), proteins (P) and fats (F) as % of dry matter: biogas (m³/t DM) = 7.9 × C + 7.0 × P + 12.5 × F; methane (m³/t DM) = 3.95 × C + 4.97 × P + 8.5 × F; methane % = methane ÷ biogas × 100. Per kg of nutrient: carbohydrates 790 l of biogas at 50% methane, proteins 700 l at 71%, fats 1,250 l at 68%. Example: a maize meal with 85% carbohydrates and 8% proteins on DM gives about 727 m³ of biogas per t of DM at 51.6% methane (Alpha’s table: 724 at 50.5%). The yields apply to digestible nutrients: for fibrous products the real yield may be lower.
Prices. Biogas maize meal €201/t (197–205) and soft wheat bran and middlings €166/t (165–167): Granaria di Milano, price list of 20 October 2026, delivered. PrimeBoost €200/t: Alpha price. Dated reference prices (currently Granaria di Milano, 20 October 2026), which you can replace with your own. Indicative average yields from analyses: the actual yield depends on the plant.
Transparency
How it works and sources
For maize meal, PrimeBoost and wheat bran, dry matter, biogas per tonne of DM and methane % are those of Alpha’s table; only the price can be changed. Biogas per t as fed = biogas per t of DM × DM; methane = biogas × methane %; electrical kWh = methane × 4.2. The costs are the price divided by biogas, methane and electrical kWh per tonne. For an additional product, biogas and methane are estimated from its composition (digestible carbohydrates, proteins and fats) with the Baserga equations. Indicative average yields from analyses: the actual yield depends on the plant.
Data sources
- Biogas table supplied by Alpha on 12 October 2026 (dry matter, biogas per t of DM, methane %, factor of 4.2 electrical kWh per m³ of methane)
- Granaria di Milano, price list of 20 October 2026 (week 43): biogas maize meal €197–205/t (201 used, average of minimum and maximum), soft wheat bran and middlings €165–167/t (166 used)
- PrimeBoost: Alpha price (€200/t)
- Baserga equations for the additional product: carbohydrates 790 l of biogas at 50% methane, proteins 700 l at 71%, fats 1,250 l at 68% per kg of nutrient
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