Publicação
Energy potential of waste(water) through Anaerobic Digestion processes
| Resumo: | The greatest technological challenge for human society today is the replacement of fossil fuels by energy sources that are renewable and carbon neutral. One way to meet this challenge is trough biological processes, which has the potential to generate large flows of renewable energy, useful for decentralized systems. Wastewaters, sludges, residues, and other wastes of today must be viewed as resources, within the concept of waste-to-energy. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the answers to sustainable development since it reduces carbon emissions, provides clean fertilizers, and generates a green energy carrier (biogas), while concomitantly waste(water) treatment is performed. Our group has been implementing AD strategies that maximizes the energetic and economic value of recalcitrant wastes. Harvesting residues, like shrub, could result in an average potential energy supply of 4.6 EJ·yr-1, only in Europe. Macroalgae, which do not compete with food crops for arable land and irrigation water, has shown promising results in terms of methane production. The co-digestion of Gracilaria vericulophylla (481 L·kg-1 (volatile solids VS)) with sewage sludge and glycerol increased the methane production in 26 %. Sargassum sp. produced 91 L of hydrogen and 541 L of methane per kg (VS), yielding a theoretical potential energy supply of 600 EJ·yr-1, from the potential ocean area available for macroalgae production. Moreover, food-processing industrial waste(water) showed potential for methane production, i.e. AD of brewery waste can result in an energy production of 26.6 PJ in 2015 in Europe. AD is thus a promising environmentally feasible alternative to create renewable energy. |
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| Autores principais: | Oliveira, João Vítor |
| Outros Autores: | Costa, J. C.; Abreu, A. A.; Pereira, M. A.; Alves, M. M. |
| Ano: | 2016 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | outro |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Minho |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho |
| Resumo: | The greatest technological challenge for human society today is the replacement of fossil fuels by energy sources that are renewable and carbon neutral. One way to meet this challenge is trough biological processes, which has the potential to generate large flows of renewable energy, useful for decentralized systems. Wastewaters, sludges, residues, and other wastes of today must be viewed as resources, within the concept of waste-to-energy. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the answers to sustainable development since it reduces carbon emissions, provides clean fertilizers, and generates a green energy carrier (biogas), while concomitantly waste(water) treatment is performed. Our group has been implementing AD strategies that maximizes the energetic and economic value of recalcitrant wastes. Harvesting residues, like shrub, could result in an average potential energy supply of 4.6 EJ·yr-1, only in Europe. Macroalgae, which do not compete with food crops for arable land and irrigation water, has shown promising results in terms of methane production. The co-digestion of Gracilaria vericulophylla (481 L·kg-1 (volatile solids VS)) with sewage sludge and glycerol increased the methane production in 26 %. Sargassum sp. produced 91 L of hydrogen and 541 L of methane per kg (VS), yielding a theoretical potential energy supply of 600 EJ·yr-1, from the potential ocean area available for macroalgae production. Moreover, food-processing industrial waste(water) showed potential for methane production, i.e. AD of brewery waste can result in an energy production of 26.6 PJ in 2015 in Europe. AD is thus a promising environmentally feasible alternative to create renewable energy. |
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