Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Cow Dung, Agriculture Waste as Fuel - Ann Christy, MIT BioVolt Cells
While the brightest scientists in the world are in the process of inventing high-tech equipments and processes in pursuit of alternative energy, there are folks who are looking at utterly down-to-earth sources for the same. Take Ann Christy, for example.
Ann Christy, an associate professor of food, agriculture and biological engineering at Ohio State University, has been conducting new research into the use of cow waste to produce energy. According to Ms Christy's research, the bacteria in cow dung release electrons during the digestion on cellulose - "in the form of undigested plant matter in the cows' waste.
Ms Christy's team of scientific researchers have so far succeeded in producing half of the power required to energise an AA battery. "While that's a very small amount of voltage, the results show that it is possible to create electricity from cow waste," she commented.
This is hardly the first time cow dung is used as fuel. In fact, in developing and poor countries, cow dung has been used as a form of fuel for ages. What is significant about recent research are the more scientific methods used to explore the potential of cow waste as a fuel. Current use of cow dung in poor countries, though intuitive, might not be the most optimal way to use it.
It is hoped that researches such as these will enable us to accomodate animal and human waste as a significant alternative energy source. Don't look forward to waste powering your car anytime soon, but they could at least power your mobile battery!
See also related researches done last few years in using cow dung as fuel here, here, here and here
Energy from waste is an interesting domain because of its double-benefits - creates energy from a free resource while improving the environment by sanitizing waste.
On related developments in the waste-to-energy domain, a team of students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have also created waste-powered fuel cells. The MIT BioVolt cells are capable of running on plant waste and can generate electricity for household use in off-grid areas and developing countries.
Ann Christy, an associate professor of food, agriculture and biological engineering at Ohio State University, has been conducting new research into the use of cow waste to produce energy. According to Ms Christy's research, the bacteria in cow dung release electrons during the digestion on cellulose - "in the form of undigested plant matter in the cows' waste.
Ms Christy's team of scientific researchers have so far succeeded in producing half of the power required to energise an AA battery. "While that's a very small amount of voltage, the results show that it is possible to create electricity from cow waste," she commented.
This is hardly the first time cow dung is used as fuel. In fact, in developing and poor countries, cow dung has been used as a form of fuel for ages. What is significant about recent research are the more scientific methods used to explore the potential of cow waste as a fuel. Current use of cow dung in poor countries, though intuitive, might not be the most optimal way to use it.
It is hoped that researches such as these will enable us to accomodate animal and human waste as a significant alternative energy source. Don't look forward to waste powering your car anytime soon, but they could at least power your mobile battery!
See also related researches done last few years in using cow dung as fuel here, here, here and here
Energy from waste is an interesting domain because of its double-benefits - creates energy from a free resource while improving the environment by sanitizing waste.
On related developments in the waste-to-energy domain, a team of students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have also created waste-powered fuel cells. The MIT BioVolt cells are capable of running on plant waste and can generate electricity for household use in off-grid areas and developing countries.
Labels: Energy-Environment-Engineering
PermaLink - Cow Dung, Agriculture Waste as Fuel - Ann Christy, MIT BioVolt Cells posted by Ecacofonix : 5:11 AM
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