Composting & Methane Gas
Methane gas is created when anaerobic bacteria -- or decomposing microbes that do their work with little to no oxygen -- break down organic material. This problem is normally found in older landfills, but it can also occur with composting. Methane gas is considered a prime component of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to excessive solar radiation. Does this Spark an idea?
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Composting for Methane
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Experimentation is ongoing into creating purposeful methods of composting that generate methane that is usable as a fuel. The final compost is also rich with plant nutrients and more nitrogen that normal compost.
Animal Waste
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According to engineer Jim Heath, the Gilloon Professor of Chemistry at Caltech, work on a South African pig farm has established the value of using composted pig manure on a medium-scale operation to power a farm with electricity and to provide heating and cooking fuel. His estimated figures are that 46 pigs or 5.5 cows or 810 chickens produce enough waste each day to provide for the equivalent of one gallon of gasoline.
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Problems
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Methane gas does not store as easily as propane gas. The best use of methane is as it is generated, but that creates additional problems, such as wasteful use when there is not a need for it and a poor energy-to-electricity conversion.
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References
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