May 25, 2006

Swine manure offered as new energy source

With energy demand at a high now, scientists are now paying increasing attention to an energy source that has been discarded for years, swine manure.

Swine manure is rich in hydrogen, whose high energy levels would be ideal as an energy source.

Until recently, using liquid swine manure for microbial production of hydrogen generated little interest, until a grant was approved last year by the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment.

Research is now underway at the Southern Research & Outreach Center in Waseca to produce biohydrogen, a clean and almost inexhaustible energy resource.

Hydrogen production through biological processes is becoming an exciting new area of technology development.

Studies have revealed that biologically producing usable hydrogen from renewable resources through fermentation is technically feasible and the possibility of promoting this technology for large-scale production is available. However, numerous technical problems, such as hydrogen purity still stand in the way.