AGRIBUSINESS: How plants can generate electricity to power LED light bulbs.

AGRIBUSINESS: How plants can generate electricity to power LED light bulbs.Researchers have discovered that living plants are literally 'green' power source: they can generate, by a single leaf, more than 150 Volts, enough to simultaneously power 100 LED light bulbs. Researchers also showed that an 'hybrid tree' made of natural and artificial leaves can act as an innovative 'green' electrical generator converting wind into electricity. Sustainable energy sources, which are pollution free and environmentally friendly, are one of the key challenges of world's future society. The interdisciplinary team of roboticists and biologists at IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Pontedera (Pisa, Italy), found that living plants can help with electricity. Fabian Meder, Barbara Mazzolai and their coworkers at IIT discovered that living plants are literally "green" power source, which may become one of future's electricity supplies that perfectly integrates in natural environments and is accessible all over the world. Researchers discovered that plants can generate, by a single leaf, more than 150 Volts, enough to simultaneously power 100 LED light bulbs. Researchers also showed that an "hybrid tree" made of natural and artificial leaves can act as an innovative "green" electrical generator converting wind into electricity. .

How to generate clean energy/electricity from water hyacinth.

How to generate clean energy/electricity from water hyacinth. Biogas is a clean and environment friendly fuel produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic wastes such as: cow-dung, vegetable wastes, municipal solid waste and industrial wastewater . It is increasingly be-coming important in domestic and industry as fuel due to its costs and cleanliness. The main component of the gas is methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen and hydrogen sulphide [3]. Water hyacinth can be used as a potential feedstock for biogas production due to its abundance and high carbon-nitrogen ratio. This study aims at evaluating the potential of utilization of water hyacinth for biogas production.

How to turn chicken waste to clean energy.

How to turn chicken waste to clean energy. For years, poultry farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have trucked manure to fields where it is used as a fertilizer. But a great concentration of animals means excess nutrient runoff that goes into streams and rivers and eventually ends up in the Chesapeake Bay. These nutrients increase the growth of algae and deplete oxygen that disrupts the aquatic ecosystem, making it difficult for marine life to survive.

 In an effort to reduce the nutrient load that drains from a 64,000-mile area into the Chesapeake Bay, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates an annual cap restricting the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous that can enter each tributary. And many states are challenged to stay beneath the cap. Here’s how Bühler Aeroglide supported a project that reduces the nutrient load by refining chicken manure into valuable products at the same time.

To address nutrient load, one of Pennsylvania’s largest egg production businesses partnered with EnergyWorks North America in Annapolis, MD. The result is a bioenergy program that uses gasification technology to transform egg layer manure into renewable energy and mineral byproducts, processing manure produced by five million layer hens. 

A Bühler Aeroglide high performance conveyor dryer is a key part of the process, used to reduce the moisture content of the manure prior to its gasification.

Turning chicken poop and weeds into biofuel.

Turning chicken poop and weeds into biofuel. Chicken is a favorite, inexpensive meat across the globe. But the bird’s popularity results in a lot of waste that can pollute soil and water. One strategy for dealing with poultry poop is to turn it into biofuel, and now scientists have developed a way to do this by mixing the waste with another environmental scourge, an invasive weed that is affecting agriculture in Africa. Poultry sludge is sometimes turned into fertilizer, but recent trends in industrialized chicken farming have led to an increase in waste mismanagement and negative environmental impacts, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Droppings can contain nutrients, hormones, antibiotics and heavy metals and can wash into the soil and surface water. To deal with this problem, scientists have been working on ways to convert the waste into fuel. But alone, poultry droppings don’t transform well into biogas, so it’s mixed with plant materials such as switch grass. Samuel O. Dahunsi, Solomon U. Oranusi and colleagues wanted to see if they could combine the chicken waste with Tithonia diversifolia (Mexican sunflower), which was introduced to Africa as an ornamental plant decades ago and has become a major weed threatening agricultural production on the continent. The researchers developed a process to pre-treat chicken droppings, and then have anaerobic microbes digest the waste and Mexican sunflowers together. Eight kilograms of poultry waste and sunflowers produced more than 3 kg of biogas — more than enough fuel to drive the reaction and have some leftover for other uses such as powering a generator. Also, the researchers say that the residual solids from the process could be applied as fertilizer or soil conditioner.

BIO GAS FROM WATER HYACINTH.

Water hyacinths are very rich in hydrocarbons, which is essential for the production of methane and the hydrocarbon content is higher in water hyacinths than in cow dung and any other water plants available. The process is similar to other biogas reactors except that the Cleared water hyacinth is dried and placed in a bio gas plant. The kiln of the plant acts as an anaerobic reactor. The metal covering of the plant has a small hole through which powdered nickel is added initially, before the whole plant is locked. The entry of air is blocked as its an anaerobic reaction, this initiates the fermenting and produces gas in less than 24 hours. The Biogas in its raw form contains methane, carbon dioxide, sulphur and dust. It is thus further purified till pure methane is extracted. This methane can be stored in cylinders and be used as electricity and as cooking gas. This water hyacinth will totally solve the energy crisis,by providing a cleaner source of energy with damage to environment. This will also help with climate change issues as the carbon footprint is minimal ,thus preventing pollution by providing cleaner and cheaper energy source. The green revolution has started, the water-hyacinth-waste-wealth- move.join us!!!

HUMAN WASTE HAS HIGH ENERGY VALUE.

Biogas potentially available from human waste worldwide would have a value of up to US$ 9.5 billion in natural gas equivalent, UN University's Canadian-based water institute estimates. And the residue, dried and charred, could produce 2 million tonnes of charcoal-equivalent fuel, curbing the destruction of trees. The large energy value would prove small, however, relative to that of the global health and environmental benefits that would accrue from the safe treatment of human waste in low-resource settings. read more about the research here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151103064551.htm

ZEOLITES FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT IN DIARY FARM.

• Waste management is an important issue in livestock, with each producer looking for a better way to manage waste. The biogas has been implemented in some farms now the use of Zeolites is another option. Dean Swagger is a dairy man, with a dairy herd of approximately 4,000 head, handling manure in a way that is friendly both to his neighbors and the environment is a key priority. That’s why he has partnered with Mario de Haro-Marti, University of Idaho Extension educator in Gooding County to test different methods for handling dairy waste. De Haro-Marti specializes in dairy and livestock environmental education.One the new methods that shows promise is a zeolite filter to remove ammonia and odor from a dairy manure flush system’s pit. Swagger Dairy has a mix of flushed free stalls and open lots. The collection pit receiving the flush water was capped during the summer of 2015. Gases were collected using a fan with variable frequency drive connected to floats and then passed through a self-contained pressurized zeolite filter. Zeolites are highly absorbent porous minerals, composed largely of silica and aluminum. They are useful for their ability to capture and hold a variety of undesirable materials, much like a sponge absorbs water. Zeolites have long been used in water filtration systems or in aquariums. Preliminary results from three replicated on-farm trials showed that the ammonia levels were reduced from 53 to 92 percent in 2015. Odor emissions were also reduced by 45 percent. The project was funded through a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant. Based on those results and what he observed during the trial period, Swagger believes the zeolite filter worked but he’s not convinced it’s a solution for everyone. Read more here;http://magicvalley.com/business/agriculture/research-shows-new-options-for-manure-management/article_4f7f55cd-0648-5ca9-ad77-cf80feb8d125.html

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND POWER GENERATION.

Waste management is a global issue with developing countries having the biggest task.The management technique varies as different methods are used to prevent the environmental pollution and health hazard attached to this menace. The generation of electricity from the waste is a possible route,but the methodology and cost implication has always been an issue; see how a minimal investment in a biogas plant can generate power ,save the environment and generate revenue.See this

ENERGY FROM CHICKEN WASTE.

Renewable energy is produced by using chicken droppings to make bio-gas. Chicken manure produces gas that is sufficient to power homes,schools, industry and also provide heat that can be used in poultry houses. The waste produced from 350 poultry birds amounts to 34kg of litter +68 litres of water is needed to power a 2.4m3 biogas plant daily,which will provide up to 6 hours of continuous gas that can be used for lighting and cooking. The chicken dropping is processed in the biogas plant to produce methane-rich gas which is captured and stored in a generator to produce renewable electricity and heat.The heat generated is used to dry grains and also heat for animal housing. The smell associated with poultry waste is eliminated as the gases are extracted and burned. Every kg of organic matter will yield 0.5m3 of bio-gas hence 1000 kg of chicken litter will yield 200 m3 bio-gas. It takes 1m3 of bio-gas to produce 2.1kw of electricity. The pooling of waste from various farms can be transferred to designated bio-gas plants which will generate power to these areas making each zone a power generating unit,making electricity constant and available to all.

WASTE TO WEALTH USING POULTRY DROPPINGS.

The poultry industry is a viable sector ensuring food security and contributing to the GDP of the economy. The revenue generated from this industry has been harnessed to drive growth and development but better management practices can actually increase the figures and provide more by- products that will further propel growth.

 The waste produced by the birds is a threat to the environment because of improper disposal and utilization of millions of tons of manure and litter soiled droppings produced daily

. The waste generated by poultry is a problem to farmers as the high nitrogen content of the waste releases ammonia fumes in the air making environment unbearable, hence most poultry farmers are at a loss at how to manage the waste. 

 Poultry waste normally is used as fertilizer for vegetable farm but it must be stored for about a period of 6 months before it can be used,the use of poultry waste to make bio-gas is a much better way. Chicken waste can be used to produce eco-friendly bio-gas which will provide energy in form of heat,gas(methane) for cooking and electricity and the digested slurry is disposed as treated fertilizer which has better market value.

 The use of the chicken manure to make gas requires specialized digester: the chicken manure is a peculiar waste to use to generate bio--gas because of the high nitrogen content ,but technology has found a way around it .

 The use of a specialized pre-treatment technology makes the anaerobic digestion easy, and the gas generated can be used to power homes and business across the country.

ELECTRICITY IN A BAG.

The ecopod is an alternative to the other familiar biogas generators.The compost in the pad can be linked to a gas storage tank for onward channeling to homes,rural areas, e.t.c.