FP7- Energy 2009-1 Grant 241334
Duration 1 March 2010 - 31
August 2013
Food waste makes up around 20% of the domestic waste stream in the EU,
with approximately equal quantities arising from food manufacture and
catering outlets: if food wastes from agro- and food industries are
included an estimated total of 200 Mtonnes year-1 is
available, with an organic dry matter (ODM) content of around 30%.
Because of the high water content of this material, the only effective
way to gain energy from it is through biochemical conversion. The
approach best suited to this is anaerobic digestion which can achieve
methane yields of 400-450 m3 kg-1 ODM.
The VALORGAS project explores the ways in which this energy potential
can be realised through effective collection, pre-processing and
optimisation of the fuel conversion technology, and considers how
integration of these aspects with improvements to conversion
efficiencies can maximise the net energy gains. The work expands our
rapidly-developing fundamental knowledge of syntrophic anaerobic
microbial interactions, and applies this to the manipulation of reactor
conditions in order to achieve stable operating conditions at high
loading rates and volumetric efficiencies. It considers methods of
upgrading the gaseous fuel product to give an extended range of end user
applications and of scales at which this technology can be exploited.
The research takes into account issues of biosecurity when using this
material, and quantifies the environmental benefits associated with
nutrient recycling which can contribute significantly to indirect energy
gains. The project combines techniques of waste audit, feasibility
study, laboratory scientific investigation, technical-scale trials,
plant monitoring, process modelling, life cycle assessment and energy
footprinting in order to deliver recommendations for the valorisation
with maximum benefit of this energy source as a second-generation
biofuel.
For further details please contact:
Dr Sonia Heaven,
University of Southampton
