Helth Tech

New study shows profits in turning food waste into bioenergy 2023/7/12 source: Print

LOS ANGELES, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign showed that turning food waste into bioenergy can become a profitable industry.

In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30 to 40 percent of the food supply, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign investigated the feasibility of implementing energy production from food waste in the state of Illinois.

The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of supply chain logistics to determine if a system of converting food waste into energy and other bioproducts would be profitable in Illinois.

The study, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, showed that installing anaerobic co-digesters at wastewater treatment plants with a total annual capacity of 9.3 million metric tons could generate an 8.3 percent return on investment while reducing carbon dioxide by approximately one million metric tons annually.

"We have a large amount of organic waste in the U.S., which eventually enters landfills and emits greenhouse gasses. However, this material can be converted into a renewable energy resource using anaerobic digestion. This solution simultaneously deals with excess food and contributes to sustainable energy production," said Jason Uen, a doctoral student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and lead author of the paper. 


    Photos