Clean Energy thru Food Fermentation
New Process Converts Food Waste to Clean Energy
Microbial Cocktails
A team of engineers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have invented an affordable system to turn food waste into a clean energy source. They've devised a "microbial cocktail" that produces a biodegradable chemical through fermenting the waste food. The chemical can be refined into a clean source of energy that could replace fossil fuels. The chemical could also replace petroleum based chemicals in many products like plastic packaging and drugs.
Wasted Food, Wasted Resources
The numbers are staggering. Wasted food amounts to a global economic loss of $1.4 trillion per year. In North America, food waste amounts to 400 kilograms per person every year. There have been many attempts to convert food scraps into fuel but they have proved much too expensive. This new technology from Canada is affordable, according to the inventors.
New Ingredient Leachate
The cocktail (leachate) is made up of microorganisms and nutrients and it's circulated through the container of waste food. The biodegradation produces carboxylate, a possible substitute for crude oil. The team says the technology is more productive and affordable than current options. And it can be scaled up or down as needed. They add even small towns could have their own systems.
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| Source: University of Waterloo, Canada |
Microbial Cocktails
A team of engineers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have invented an affordable system to turn food waste into a clean energy source. They've devised a "microbial cocktail" that produces a biodegradable chemical through fermenting the waste food. The chemical can be refined into a clean source of energy that could replace fossil fuels. The chemical could also replace petroleum based chemicals in many products like plastic packaging and drugs.
Wasted Food, Wasted Resources
The numbers are staggering. Wasted food amounts to a global economic loss of $1.4 trillion per year. In North America, food waste amounts to 400 kilograms per person every year. There have been many attempts to convert food scraps into fuel but they have proved much too expensive. This new technology from Canada is affordable, according to the inventors.
New Ingredient Leachate
The cocktail (leachate) is made up of microorganisms and nutrients and it's circulated through the container of waste food. The biodegradation produces carboxylate, a possible substitute for crude oil. The team says the technology is more productive and affordable than current options. And it can be scaled up or down as needed. They add even small towns could have their own systems.
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