Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[New York City turns to sewers for energy solutions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/new-york-city-turns-to-sewers-for-energy-solutions/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/new-york-city-turns-to-sewers-for-energy-solutions/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/new-york-city-turns-to-sewers-for-energy-solutions/#comments Listen up New Yorkers, those hot nuts you just swallowed could be used to light the signs on Broadway. Okay, so that's a stretch, but the city's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) just issued a plan to turn the stuff you flush, along with rest of its wastewater, into renewable energy. New York City produces about 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater daily, yielding 1,200 tons of biosolids that can be harvested to procure methane -- already accounting for 20 percent of the city's energy -- and butanol, a clean gasoline alternative. The plan, which also includes wind and solar projects, aims to use gas, converted by large digesters, to "power wastewater operations, meet on-site heat and electricity needs, and, where feasible, sell excess energy to the market." As the DEP points out, the plan isn't far fetched -- we've seen a couple of solutions for turning human excrement into usable energy, and a project already under way in Greenpoint is estimated to procure enough methane over the next year to heat 2,500 homes. Now, if that doesn't give you a newfound respect for the porcelain throne, we don't know what will.

New York City turns to sewers for energy solutions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biogasbutanolconservationDepartment of Environmental ProtectionDepartmentOfEnvironmentalProtectionenergyenergy conservationEnergyConservationmethanenew yorknew york cityNewYorkNewYorkCityNYNYCpowerrenewable energyRenewableEnergywastewastewaterWastewaterTreatmentWed, 16 Feb 2011 16:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Volkswagen Beetle converted to run on methane headed for the UK streets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/volkswagen-beetle-converted-to-run-on-methane-headed-for-the-uk/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/volkswagen-beetle-converted-to-run-on-methane-headed-for-the-uk/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/volkswagen-beetle-converted-to-run-on-methane-headed-for-the-uk/#comments
Meet the Bio-Bug, a custom modded Volkswagen Beetle which has been converted to run on biogas -- fuel created from human waste. The process of conversion isn't brand new, but this will be the first automobile fully converted to run on biogas in the United Kingdom without any loss of performance. In fact, the car is so reliable that its makers believe it can "blow away" electric vehicles, and that consumers won't even notice the difference. The Bio-Bug is a regular old 2 liter VW convertible modified to operate on both gasoline and compressed methane gas: once the methane runs out, the car reverts back to running on gasoline. The cars run on so little methane that just one regular sized sewage plant could run a car (or cars) over 95,000,000 miles per year. Developed by GENeco, a sustainable energy company in the UK, the Bio-Bug is going into a trial period, and the company plans on converting its entire fleet if successful.

Volkswagen Beetle converted to run on methane headed for the UK streets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beetlebiofuelbiogasbugcarcardcarsecoeco friendlyEcoFriendlygenecogreengreen transportationGreenTransportationmethanemodifiedsewagetransportationukunitedkingdomvolkswagenvwThu, 05 Aug 2010 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Sintex's biogas digester ingests crap, emits energy]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/29/sintexs-biogas-digester-ingests-crap-emits-energy/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/29/sintexs-biogas-digester-ingests-crap-emits-energy/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/29/sintexs-biogas-digester-ingests-crap-emits-energy/#commentsSintex Industries' aptly-dubbed biogas digester is most certainly not the first of its kind, but it is somewhat commendable that its maker is making no bones about this thing's purpose. Destined to "solve India's energy and sanitation problems in one stroke," this concoction can convert "human [waste], cow dung, or kitchen garbage into fuel that can be used for cooking or generating electricity." Reportedly, a one-cubic-meter digester would sell for around $425, but could pay for itself in energy savings in under 24 months. Excrement to energy -- now there's a concept.

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Sintex's biogas digester ingests crap, emits energy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biogasenergyhealthindiasanitationsintexwasteFri, 29 Feb 2008 06:27:00 EST