Gauracandra 1 Report post Posted December 20, 2001 From Popular Science: The popularity of alternative fuels -- especially manure, the most unglamorous fuel of all -- waxes and wanes with the price of energy. The equipment to turn animal waste into electrical power has been around for decades, and yet only about 30 American farms have taken the plunge (some 400 have done so in Europe). In recent years, manure boosters "took a holiday, mainly due to cheap energy," says Mark Moser, whose company, Resource Conservation Management, has been designing and installing manure-power projects since the early 1980s. But now, with energy prices high again, manure is getting another look. Most manure-to-power facilities work according to this basic scheme: Manure is placed in an anaerobic digester -- a large, unfortunately named container designed to encourage the growth of bacteria. These bacteria convert the carbohydrates in manure into biogas, a substance that consists mainly of methane (the primary ingredient in natural gas) and carbon dioxide. The biogas is then piped to an engine where it is burned to produce electricity. It usually takes between 20 and 30 days for manure to be fully processed, after which it can be used as a nearly odorless fertilizer. The other advantages of manure power go beyond energy bills. It uses up methane, a greenhouse gas that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere from manure-storage lagoons. Pathogens present in untreated manure are eliminated. And last but by no means least, it reduces the smell of the stuff. [This message has been edited by Gauracandra (edited 12-20-2001).] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krsna 3 Report post Posted September 29, 2004 This is the perfect alternative to the devil's excrement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
