When people say biogas feedstock, people will most often associate it to manure. Well that’s not entirely the case because basically anything that biodegrades can be turned into biogas (methane) and then used for energy.
Biogas harvesting involves placing organic waste products mixed with a set amount of water in an oxygen free biodigester. Via anaerobic digestion, the organic waste is broken down into methane and solid waste by bacteria living in the biodigester.
Assuming that the conditions of the tank are ideal (right temperature to sustain bacteria and devoid of oxygen), it all boils down to the type of feedstock you have that could determine the amount of methane you could be harvesting. Plans for a small scale biodigester for the home can be found here.
I was trolling around Youtube and found some great examples of kitchen waste being converted into biogas and I think those in the food business should seriously consider these projects in order to lower their cost as well as help the environment while they are at it. I wonder if these type of projects can apply for carbon credits? since they’re just small scale and not really massive.
In India, some kitchens have already adopted converting their food leftovers and food preparation peelings into feedstock for their very own biodigester. In turn the methane/biogas harvested from them are used in the cooking process. Although it doesn’t totally eliminate their need for LPG when cooking, it does take a considerable dent out of the cost incurred in their operations.
I also found this video of a University of Florida student’s experiment in converting the school canteen’s waste into biogas. I like this video for the quality and detailed information found in it.
For a simple primer on how biogas works, check out this short video from greenpeace uk.
For those who want to embark into biogas production, you have to be forewarned that methane is a deadly greenhouse gas. You have to ensure that your storage of the biogas is proper and that your burning and delivery is complete, otherwise you could be doing more harm than good to the environment.
Category: Biogas, Methane, Recycle, Do it Yourself, How to
