About Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (BIOMA)

Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (BIOMA), the only national-level research institute specialized in biogas research in China, was established in 1979 with the approval of the State Council. It was then affiliated in 1997 to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). With anaerobic fermentation as the means, it mainly conducts basic and applied basic research, cutting-edge theoretical research, major key common technology research and other public welfare research, as well as the corresponding technical development and training in rural renewable energy, rural energy and rural environmental management and agro-ecological restoration. The Institute plays an irreplaceable backbone role in China’s biogas development by virtue of its sound research system, optimal platform conditions, strong talents teams, remarkable industry position and extensive international influence.

Sound research system: It has six innovation teams respectively on energy microorganisms, straw utilization for resource, livestock manure utilization for energy and pollution control, quality and safety risk assessment of biomass fermentation products, pollution management of rural living environment, rural biomass energy and strategies and policies on living environement development. BIOMA’s research covers the whole industry chain including the collection and preservation of energy microorganisms, microbial mechanism of biogas fermentation, fermentation processes and technology, fermentation plants and equipment, purification and utilization of fermentation products, analysis of rural biomass energy and strategies and policies on rural living environemnt development, and etc. It has developed a number of core technologies such as technology for treatment and resource utilization of high-concentration livestock manure and technology for protein biodegradation, and pioneered a number of different types of large biogas plants in China.

Optimal platform conditions: The Institute has 19 platforms, including the FAO Reference Centre for Biogas Research and Training, International Science & Technology Cooperation Base on Biogas Technology of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for Development and Utilization of Rural Renewable Energy. In addition, BIOMA publishes the most important academic journal in the biogas industry -- China Biogas and the most influential website in the biogas industry -- China Biogas website. It aslo has the internationally advanced and China’s largest repository of anaerobic microorganisms -- China Collection of Anaerobic Microorganisms (CCAM).

Strong talents teams: The Institute has a strong facaulty of 109 staff members (29 PhDs, 36 master’s degrees). In addition, thirteen people are employed by the Institute and 46 by others. It has 19 professors, 32 associate professors, 55 postgraduate students and 4 post-doctoral students. It has two outstanding talents in agriculutre awarded by CAAS, two academic and technical leaders of Sichuan provine, one innovation leader of Sichuan “Tianfu WR Program”, two Tianfu talents, 13 candidates as “Agricultural Science Talents”. The team is characterized by solid theoretical foundation, rich scientific research experience, and strong innovation capability.

Remarkable industriall position: The Institute focuses on the development tasks with respect to agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents, such as the development of quliaty rural living environment and agricultural carbon neutralization. Its key work includes rural living environment improvement, toilet revolution, utilization of livestock and poultry waste for resource, bio-natural gas development, and comprehensive utilization of straw. It has actively undertaken more than 100 non-profit science research programs including national 863 programs, 973 programs, major special programs, national science and technology pillar programs and the programs supported by national natural science funds. The Institute has obtained more than 200 patents, published more than 600 scientific research articles, formulated and revised 45 national and industrial standards, won two second-prize and two third-prize awards for national scientific and technological progress, four first-prize and six second-prize awards for scientific and technological progress of Sichuan province and the Ministry of Agriculture. It is a pioneer and hub of scientific and technological development in the biogas field.

Extensive international influence: The Institute has received more than 570 visits from foreign heads, experts and scholars, and has conducted academic exchanges and technical cooperation with biogas research institutes from more than 80 countries, including the United States, Germany and Denmark. By 2020, BIOMA had organized for 140 foreign-aid training programmes sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China. It has provided training for more than 4,000 participants from more than 120 countries, significantly promoted the friendship between China and other developing countries, and actively contributed to the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the “going global” strategy of agricultural science and technology.

Address: No. 13, Section 4, Renminnan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan province

Postcode: 610041

Tel./Fax: 028-85230685