Biogas can be utilised in many of the same ways natural gas or LPG can be used such as cooking, heating, and lighting as well as to produce electricity. Methane is the usable part of the biogas which supplies the energy. The remaining components of the biogas include carbon dioxide, water vapour, and other trace elements such as nitrogen, oxygen, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide.

Biogas is lower in methane than natural gas – biogas 50-75% to natural gas 90 – 98 %. The energy value of the biogas is dependant on a range of factors including the type of feedstock (raw material) used to generate the gas, temperature in fermentation, length of fermentation, and the specific plant design. 

Crops such as maize silage create biogas with a much higher energy value than alternatives such as cow manure, around eight times as much in fact. Biogas power generation using cow manure is still a viable endeavour, however, 8 times more gas will be needed to generate the same amount of electricity. Factors such as this will be considered during the engineering and design phase of the bioenergy plant set up.