5 Ways to Make Energy With Excrement
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY 
on 08.20.08
photo by Matthew Chatfield
Perhaps its because of our monkey roots—their lack of inhibition when it comes to handling their own filth must be lurking in us somewhere—that many of us find poo jokes and toilet humor so funny even as we, cough, mature. While excrement may elicit laughs, snickers and giggles from some, it really is serious business when it comes to energy.
For those that don't know, the way all of these projects work is they take the human or animal waste and convert it into biogas via anaerobic digestion. Then the gas is either fed into the exisiting natural gas distribution system, converted into electricity, or used directly as an energy source.
It seems like we’ve heard about enough new human or animal waste to energy projects or studies lately that a roundup seems in order. From the past seven months, in reverse order:
Vancouver-area Sewage Treatment Plant to Produce Biogas
At a cost of $1.1 million the Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant Biomethane Project will create biogas from human waste which will be fed into the area’s existing natural gas distribution system. Expected to be operational in July 2009, this pilot project will provide enough energy for 100 homes and will be the first human waste-to-energy project in British Columbia.
Cow Manure Could Generate 3% of US Electric Demand
A study done at the University of Texas, Austin estimates that the livestock industry in the United States produces 1 billion tonnes of manure annually. If this were used to generate biogas and then electricity, up to 3% of total US electric demand could be met.Making Power From Poop
A 750 cow dairy farm in Ontario has received $5-million in funding to build what will be the province's largest farm-biogas installation. The project will have a capacity of about 1.3 megawatts, or enough to power about 800 typical Ontario homes.
Cow Poop -> Electricity
The Vintage Dairy Biogas Project will produce enough biogas to power 1200 homes a day in California. The biogas produced will be fed into the natural gas distribution system and used in a PG&E power plant in Northern California.
Human Poop and Urine Used in Uganda for Biogas
Leading off the year’s waste-to-energy news was a piece on how Heiger International Uganda is working with several partners to build biogas plants, using human excrement and a mixture of banana peels, algae, water hyacinth and chicken manure as the feedstock. The biogas isn’t being feed into a grid like the projects in Canada and the United States, above, but is being used for cooking, lighting and in various types of engines.More Poo Power From The TreeHugger Archives
Biogas from Cow Dung in Luxembourg
Manure-Powered Ethanol Plant in ... Texas
Biogas: Poo-Powered Prison in Rwanda
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China and India, both large scale polluters, have major problems with sewage disposal and most sewage there is just let out into the sea. using the huge amounts of sewage generated by hundreds of millions of their people who live in cities to generate power would be a fantastic opportunity for companies intending to sell power to the Indian and Chinese governments. The US Exim Bank offers financing for American companies interested in environment-frinedly projects in both these countries. Maybe it is time for someone with an entrepreneurial bent to go to India or China with Exim Bank funding and help clean the place up as well as make money.
I know I make the same comment all the time, but I'd really love to see biogas replace natural gas and oil as peaking plants of the future.
I have 2 huskies and a dog park a block away from my house. If I had the technical know-how, I'd have built a small system to harness their energy and doo away with the hundreds of plastic-encased turds in my neighbourhood. Any leads?