Research and Solutions: AASHE Student Award-Winning Paper: Converting Food Waste to Biogas

摘要

Biogas is a renewable source of natural gas producednby the microbial degradation of organic matter in anprocess called anaerobic digestion. While any organicnmaterial may be a feedstock for anaerobic digestion,nwaste organic matter represents a vast potentialnfor sustainable energy production. Food waste, innparticular, is a relatively untapped resource. Largenamounts of food waste are produced at campus diningnhalls and other food service facilities. A casenstudy was undertaken to determine biogas productionnand implementation potential at the Universitynof Florida’s Broward Dining Hall. Food waste quantitynand current disposal methods were determined.nThe waste was analyzed for organic matter contentnand potential biogas yield. Food waste was digestednin a small-scale anaerobic digester. The study demonstratednthat converting food waste to biogas couldnprovide significant supplemental energy to the diningnhall and provide a closed-loop system for sustainablenfood waste management. By using biogas place of fossil fuel, the energy footprint and carbonnemissions at Broward Dining Hall would be reduced.nFurther, energy use and carbon emissions associatednwith current disposal methods would be reduced,nand valuable nutrients in the food waste would benrecycled for use as organic fertilizer. Establishing anbiodigester at Broward Dining Hall would contributento meeting the University of Florida’s sustainabilityngoals by simultaneously reducing solid waste andnproducing carbon-neutral, renewable energy. If biogasntechnology were adopted throughout the foodnservice industry, this would significantly advancencampus and societal sustainability.