US Scientists Turn Farm Waste Into Energy

Researchers in the US have unveiled a new technology to turn farm waste into alternative fuel as part of US$2.1m study by the US Department of Energy.

Engineers at Washington University are using imaging technology to study how micro-organisms break down manure, turning waste into fuels such as methane, writes Associated Press.

"Each year livestock operations produce 1.8 billion tons of cattle manure," says Washington University Professor Muthanna Al-Dahhan.

"Treating manure [with micro-organisms] gets rid of the environmental threats and produces bioenergy at the same time. That has been our vision."

Professor Al-Dahhan says the new findings are just a small step toward making a reliable system that farmers can use to turn manure into methane.

US-based Fibrowatt LLC has also announced plans to build a plant in North Carolina to produce electricity from poultry waste, creating over a 100 jobs.

The US$200m plant, expected to begin operation in 2011, will sell the electricity it generates, according to the company.

By staff writer