Garbage-to-gas system makes its debut

The University of California at Davis on Tuesday formally unveiled a digester that converts food scraps and other garbage into natural gas and methane. The gases can then be converted to electricity. The system, developed by the university and Onsite Power Systems, is essentially a sealed network of tubes and chambers where bacteria consume leftovers and then excrete gases. It can convert about eight tons of garbage a week and will eventually process eight tons a day, the university said. A ton of garbage provides enough electricity to power 10 average California homes for a day.

Several companies are trying to figure out ways to exploit waste products as an energy source. In their favor, they produce natural gas, which releases fewer pollutants than coal or car gas. And the fuel stock--old fish heads, chewed-up pieces of meat, soggy Lucky Charms--costs little to obtain. In Texas, Microgy is opening up a series of thermophilic digesters that will transform cow manure into natural gas. So much gas can be produced that Microgy will be able to ship it over commercial natural-gas lines. Agribusiness giant Cargill announced on Tuesday that it will help Environmental Power, which owns Microgy, to promote its technology.

[Blito]

We can sell our garbage to Iran!

Our greatest polluter is waste and garbage next to smog. 50% of our streams and water in the U.S. are now considered polluted and that's next to homes too. This is caused from manure runoff from farms and housing development garbage and sewer systems. The great lakes are very polluted and there isn't allot of room to store garbage in places like Malaysia.

To convert most of out garbage and waste to natural gas is probably the best way for a renewable energy economy, and go back to the old way before the industrial revolution, still with the industry of course. Can we convert sewer water and chemical waste as well or maybe just use alternative chemicals or filters would be better. I think the new ?clean diesel? system that is being put into action now on the roads requires filter plugins for your car and truck. I think the filters convert the diesel into safe waste on the road but am not sure. Clean diesel is so clean you can put a handkerchief on your tail pipe and no stain develops.

[shaunkerr]

Nothing New

There have been facilities around for many years that take the methane gas produced at landfills and then converted to electricity.

http://www.landfillenergy.com/home.asp

[msethu1]

Bio-gas already exists in India

The method is not anything new and has been in wide-spread use in rural India. I wonder why it has taken a developed nation such as the US so long to adopt it?