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Urban Anaerobic Digestion: Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Waste Management

This article explores the concept of urban anaerobic digestion (AD) as a solution to sustainability challenges in cities. By transforming organic waste into renewable energy, urban AD can help meet present needs without compromising future generations. Key benefits include waste reduction, energy security, and local food production. The piece examines necessary infrastructure, regulatory challenges, and public awareness required to implement effective AD systems in urban settings, calling for integrated solutions to enhance sustainability and quality of life.

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Urban Anaerobic Digestion: Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Waste Management

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  1. Urban AD: Context & Challenges "Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Sustainability Live, Apr 14

  2. UK Storms: “We have no heating, no power, no hot food” www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk

  3. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk An ‘energy divorce’

  4. A “MAD IDEA”? Heating? Vehicle fuel? Cooking? Lighting?

  5. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk Vision: “Future Proofing” A robust, decentralised, flexible, integrated waste, energy, transport, food & data management system -Camden Council TSB Future Cities

  6. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk What might urban AD look like? -Biomethane-powered pasteurisation/pre-treatment vehicles collecting organics such as food waste, shredded paper, non-woody green waste -Network of micro-AD units in housing blocks, urban growing spaces, parks, golf courses, hotels, food/drink manufacturers and processors -Varied biogas uses: micro-CHP, micro-biomethane upgrading, cooking heating INTEGRATED as necessary with PV, solar thermal, H fuel cell -Digestate used on food growing, urban greening, in gardens and households

  7. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk Drivers for Urban AD • Landfill tax rises / waste management savings / waste minimisation • Pressure on LA’s: financial / sustainability eg London Plan • “Quality of Life”: clean vehicles (air quality), urban greening, health • Food security / local food production • Smart management of energy / resources • ‘Green’ employment • Energy security

  8. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk Benefits • Divert organics from landfill • Dealing with waste at source • Ability to access local wastes too diffuse or small in quantity to transport • Accessible by communities • Can support waste reduction element of the waste hierarchy: move them or access further local wastes • Support urban greening using organic fertiliser • Reduce waste transport & emissions: air quality

  9. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk Challenges & Opportunities Equipmentat this scale: collection; pre-processing; handling; upgrading Cost:but volume scale economies are possible Regulation: eg PAS110 did not consider community micro-AD networks; a regulatory crack? Digestatescan vary in odour, so handling & use are considerations Awareness: Really? We can do this?

  10. ALL AD systems need a certain amount of landfrom whence its feedstock comes. Theyalso needa certain amount of landto return nutrients onto. Micro-AD systems are no exception

  11. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk Digestate Use: Closing the Circle

  12. www.methanogen.co.uk info@methanogen.co.uk The RealChallenge We must reduce wasted organic materials We must economically access and recycle remaining organics in a ‘carbon smart’ and sustainable fashion, utilising the volatile carbon as energy, as well as the sequestered C Integrated Demand-Led Micro-Anaerobic Digestion

  13. Angie Bywater Methanogen (UK) Ltd info@methanogen.co.uk www.methanogen.co.uk M: 07753 571371 Twitter: BiogasUK Blog: anaerobicdigest.tumblr.com

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