04:57Japan has developed an innovative technology that puts dairy cow waste to more creative use, converting thousands of kilograms of dung and liters of urine into environmentally friendly biofuel, that could soon power facilities across Hokkaido.
Dr Kei Okubo, a professor of organic photochemistry at Osaka University, works on the technology, which produces methanol and formic acid that emits no carbon dioxide (CO2).
"The electricity demand will decrease in the future. Therefore, we are thinking of using plants to produce useful chemicals instead of electricity. These products are methanol and formic acid," explained the professor.
Around 10,000 dairy cows will be responsible for producing or rather disposing of, enough manure to cover the energy consumed in all the city's public facilities and seafood processing plants. The researchers estimate that up to two-thirds of its dairy factories could even rely on these animals.
The Okoppe facility houses a biogas plant which is used for storage.
Takashi Ando, team leader of the Community Development Promotion of Diverse Biomass Energy Unit, said, "By spreading the digestive liquid that has been processed through this methane fermentation on the fields, we can get good quality food. It also helps to reduce the bad odour/smell when spreading, leading to an improvement in the lives of the residents. Furthermore, by using biogas to generate electricity, we can also provide clean energy. These are the three major advantages of biogas plants."
The company aims to expand to other areas in and outside Hokkaido by 2030 or later.
Japan: Hokkaido town harnesses cow dung for CO2-free power
Japan has developed an innovative technology that puts dairy cow waste to more creative use, converting thousands of kilograms of dung and liters of urine into environmentally friendly biofuel, that could soon power facilities across Hokkaido.
Dr Kei Okubo, a professor of organic photochemistry at Osaka University, works on the technology, which produces methanol and formic acid that emits no carbon dioxide (CO2).
"The electricity demand will decrease in the future. Therefore, we are thinking of using plants to produce useful chemicals instead of electricity. These products are methanol and formic acid," explained the professor.
Around 10,000 dairy cows will be responsible for producing or rather disposing of, enough manure to cover the energy consumed in all the city's public facilities and seafood processing plants. The researchers estimate that up to two-thirds of its dairy factories could even rely on these animals.
The Okoppe facility houses a biogas plant which is used for storage.
Takashi Ando, team leader of the Community Development Promotion of Diverse Biomass Energy Unit, said, "By spreading the digestive liquid that has been processed through this methane fermentation on the fields, we can get good quality food. It also helps to reduce the bad odour/smell when spreading, leading to an improvement in the lives of the residents. Furthermore, by using biogas to generate electricity, we can also provide clean energy. These are the three major advantages of biogas plants."
The company aims to expand to other areas in and outside Hokkaido by 2030 or later.
Japan has developed an innovative technology that puts dairy cow waste to more creative use, converting thousands of kilograms of dung and liters of urine into environmentally friendly biofuel, that could soon power facilities across Hokkaido.
Dr Kei Okubo, a professor of organic photochemistry at Osaka University, works on the technology, which produces methanol and formic acid that emits no carbon dioxide (CO2).
"The electricity demand will decrease in the future. Therefore, we are thinking of using plants to produce useful chemicals instead of electricity. These products are methanol and formic acid," explained the professor.
Around 10,000 dairy cows will be responsible for producing or rather disposing of, enough manure to cover the energy consumed in all the city's public facilities and seafood processing plants. The researchers estimate that up to two-thirds of its dairy factories could even rely on these animals.
The Okoppe facility houses a biogas plant which is used for storage.
Takashi Ando, team leader of the Community Development Promotion of Diverse Biomass Energy Unit, said, "By spreading the digestive liquid that has been processed through this methane fermentation on the fields, we can get good quality food. It also helps to reduce the bad odour/smell when spreading, leading to an improvement in the lives of the residents. Furthermore, by using biogas to generate electricity, we can also provide clean energy. These are the three major advantages of biogas plants."
The company aims to expand to other areas in and outside Hokkaido by 2030 or later.