power generation – BioEnergy Consult Blog
March 16, 2011 by Salman Zafar, posted in Biogas, Biomass Energy, Biomass Utilization, Renewable Energy, Waste Management, Waste-to-energy	
Anaerobic digestion proves to be a beneficial technology in various spheres. Biogas produced is a green replacement of unprocessed fuels (like fuel wood, dung cakes, crop residues). It is a cost effective replacement for dung cakes and conventional domestic fuels like LPG or kerosene. Anaerobic digestion has the potential to meet the energy requirements in rural areas, and also counter the effects of reckless burning of biomass resources.
Further, being relatively-clean polluting cooking fuel; biogas reduces the health risks associated with conventional chulhas. Thinking regionally, decreased residue burning brings down the seasonal high pollutant levels in air, ensuring a better environmental quality.
Anaerobic digestion thus proves to be more efficient in utilization of crop residues. The social benefits associated with biomethanation, along with its capacity to generate income for the rural households make it a viable alternative for conventional methods.
Contributed by Ritika Tewari, TERI University, New Delhi
Tagged Agricultural residues, Anaerobic digestion, biochemical, Bioenergy, Biogas, Biomass, Biomass Energy, clean energy, environment, organic wastes, power generation, Waste Management, Waste-to-energyLeave a comment	
March 13, 2011 by Salman Zafar, posted in Biogas, Biomass Energy, Biomass Utilization, Industrial Waste, Renewable Energy, Solid Waste Management, Waste Management, Waste-to-energy	
Most of the organic waste generated in developing countries is dumped into the landfills. It is a sheer waste of such biodegradable waste capable of generating energy to be sent into the landfills. There it is not only responsible for large scale green house gas emissions, but also becomes a health hazard and creates terrestrial pollution.
There are numerous places which are the sources of large amounts of food waste and hence a proper food-waste management strategy needs to be devised for them to make sure that either they are disposed off in a safe manner or utilized efficiently. These places include hotels, restaurants, malls, residential societies, college/school/office canteens, religious mass cooking places, airline caterers, food and meat processing industries and vegetable markets which generate organic waste of considerable quantum on a daily basis.
The anaerobic digestion technology is highly apt in dealing with the chronic problem of organic waste management in urban societies. Although the technology is commercially viable in the longer run, the high initial capital cost is a major hurdle towards its proliferation. The onus is on the governments to create awareness and promote such technologies in a sustainable manner. At the same time, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations and environmental agencies should also take inspiration from successful food waste-to-energy projects in other countries and try to set up such facilities in Indian cities and towns.
Contributed by Mr. Setu Goyal, TERI University, New Delhi
Tagged Anaerobic digestion, biochemical, Biogas, Biomass Energy, CDM, cleantech, digester, emissions, energy-from-waste, environment, MSW, organic wastes, power generation, Waste Management, Waste-to-energyLeave a comment	
Energy Recovery from Tannery Wastes
April 24, 2010 by Salman Zafar, posted in Biogas, Biomass Energy, CDM, Cleantech, Industrial Waste, Industrial Waste Management, Renewable Energy, Waste Management, Waste-to-energy	
The conventional leather tanning technology is highly polluting as it produces large amounts of organic and chemical pollutants. Wastes generated by the leather processing industries pose a major challenge to the environment. According to conservative estimates, about 600,000 tons per year of solid waste are generated worldwide by leather industry and approximately 40–50% of the hides are lost to shavings and trimmings.
The energy generated by anaerobic digestion or gasification of tannery wastes can be put to beneficial use, in both drying the wastes and as an energy source for the tannery’s own requirements, CHP or electricity export from the site. A large amount of the energy recovered is surplus to the energy conversion process requirements and can be reused by the tannery directly. Infact, implementation of waste-to-energy systems have the potential to make the industry self-sufficient in terms of thermal energy requirements. Tanneries are major energy users, and requires up to 30 kW of energy to produce a single finished hide. Thus, waste-to-energy plant in a tannery promotes the production of electricity from decentralized renewable energy sources, apart from resolving serious environmental issues posed by leather industry wastes.
To read the full article, please visit http://www.altenergymag.com/emagazine.php?art_id=1499
Tagged AD, Anaerobic digestion, Bioenergy, Biogas, Biomass, Biomass Energy, CHP, clean energy, cleantech, digester, environment, gasification, leather, leather industry, organic wastes, power generation, Renewable Energy, tanneryLeave a comment	