Cow Manure Largest-Ever Methane Capture System Built and profitable

zod

Chinese Cow Manure Generates Electricity In Largest-Ever Methane Capture System (see full article here)



A gigantic Chinese dairy farm is now the world’s largest methane farm, turning a massive source of greenhouse gas emissions into a lucrative renewable energy source.

The plant will process the waste from 60,000 of Huishan’s 250,000 cows to produce 5.66 megawatts of power. This is enough electricity to meet the needs of 3,500 American-size households, Tech Review says — which means it will service many more Chinese ones, because they use less energy.

Energy generated at the dairy operation will go onto China’s state grid. A firm called Blue Sphere Corp., which is building the system, said the plant could also generate 619,770 tons of fertilizer and reduce carbon emissions by 180,000 tons per year.

encyclopedia

Very good idea, it definately should be developed more as a means of offsetting GHG emissions. It is reducing the methane released into the atmosphere and reducing the need to use coal for electricity production which is great.

America consumes over 5 times electricity per person then China, that would mean that this could in theory provide electricity for over 17000 homes in China Source. From an Irish perspective a system like this could only work if there was a co-operative agreement with farmers due to the scale of manure produced. No farmer in Ireland would have a farm anywhere near that size.

Pete M.

Cre, who were previously the Composting Association of Ireland, recently became Cre, the Composting and Anaerobic Association of Ireland, so there is certainly a lot of awareness out there of this type of application.

If they can do it in the 3rd world, why can't we do it on a larger scale here?

Have been toying with the idea of doing similar with my dogs sh1te, along with other domestic organic waste to provide gas for a space heating stove.

If only I could just stop procrastinating It'd be great

Capt'n Midnight

Pete M. wrote: »

If they can do it in the 3rd world, why can't we do it on a larger scale here

China are not third world

They were always part of the second world , communist countries , whereas the rich allies of the US were the first world.

China has a lot of smart people and expect lots of little green gems , it's not all coal power plants.

Pete M.

Eh ok, yeah I know that.

Too vague a context perhaps.

I did mean if they can do it in places like Bangladesh and parts of India (the real third world areas) and sub-Saharan Africa, then we should be able to do it quite well at a local level in this country too.

I know it's a subsistence like type of a carry on, but hey, between the R and the impending zombie apocalypse, it's something we could be good at.

But yes again, I know that China isn't a 3rd world country..

Capt'n Sir.