Saturday, November 2, 2013

Exploratory Thinking 9: Reducing Waste and Harvesting Energy This Halloween

 The following technique shows how waste can be converted to energy instead of a a harmful greenhouse gas. This is evidence for a brighter future and a step in becoming a less dependent on carbon-based fuel nation.

So how does this process work? Similar to composting, one method of converting waste to energy is called anaerobic digestion. This is a natural process where microorganisms are used to break down organic waste materials in an air-sealed tank, which is heated up to accelerate processing.
This allows the waste material to decompose quickly and produce biogas that can be captured and directed through a turbine to ultimately generate electricity. This electricity can power homes and run vehicles, and the heat that results from the process can be used onsite to reheat the digester.

http://energy.gov/eere/articles/reducing-waste-and-harvesting-energy-halloween

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