New Study: Glycerol Can Turn Waste into Even More Energy, $$$
January 26, 2010 by Eric Brown
Filed under Events & Happenings, Uncategorized, composting, renewable energy
An unlikely chemical–the waste product glycerol–can harvest double the amount of methane energy used in biofuel, studies show. That could make anaerobic digestion an even more economically sound cleantech option for producing enery.
Scientists at the University of Manitoba researching anaerobic digestion found that, by adding 1% glycerol solution to swine waste, they were able to double the amount of biogas produced without compromising the process. That 1% is a fixed number–adding 2% and 4% glycerol to the swine manure interrupted the anaerobic digestion cycle.
This news is a big deal to environmentalists, especially since it solves a big question–what to do with glycerol waste? Glycerol is literally sugar alcohol–no, not the kind you can drink. It’s a byproduct of many industrial processes, including the technique used to create biodiesel, and there aren’t many uses for it in its liquid form.
U of Manitoba Master’s Graduate Oswald Wohlgemut says “It’s also of interest because of the anticipated increase in biodiesel production in Manitoba and the expected surplus of glycerol.” As more American states begin to produce biofuel, this is a great way to use a waste product to create more energy. Wohlgemut also said he believed that small livestock producers, dairy farmers, and the like would be able to simulate the glycerol addition if they added anaerobic digester plants to their land.
Sounds like a win-win. More energy created, more waste products used to create something beneficial, less pollution all around. Read more about the U of Manitoba study here.
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