Chinese Farm Literally Turns Bullsh*t into Electricity

[CarbonX13]

A rapidly growing industry in China—dairy farming—is also a major new source of greenhouse-gas emissions. But Huishan Dairy in northeast China is trying to change this by installing the world's largest system for generating electricity by collecting methane gas emitted by fermenting cow manure.

The Chinese have not, historically, been big milk drinkers, but decreasing costs and aggressive marketing efforts have changed that. Huishan's new system will prevent methane—which is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas—from reaching the atmosphere. It will also reduce waste and odors, and produce a valuable organic fertilizer that's safer than raw manure.

The operation at Huishan is 10 times the size of the typical systems for generating electricity from cow manure. Its massive scale could help make the project more economical. GE, which is supplying the project's gas-powered generators, also hopes it will act as a showcase for the technology. Methane is not widely harnessed in farming worldwide, largely due to the initial costs, a lack of established economic models, and little government support.

Huishan, one of the biggest dairies in the country, imports 3,000 cows from Australia every month to sustain its massive stock of 250,000 cows—about double the number of dairy cows in the entire state of Florida. Huishan's new electricity generating system will process the waste from 60,000 cows and produce 5.6 megawatts of power. It will generate enough electricity to meet the needs of 3,500 American-size households, which means it will service many more Chinese ones, which use far less energy.

What was previously the largest system for generating electricity from manure produced two megawatts. Most such systems still produce only a few hundred kilowatts. Huishan will capture 20 million cubic meters of biogas (which is about 60 percent methane).

Technology for capturing biogas and putting it to use has existed for a long time. In its simplest form, an enclosed digester allows the anaerobic organisms to break down manure and capture the methane produced. The gas is then siphoned off in a pipe for cooking or lighting. The Chinese government estimates that millions of small farms already have such primitive manure digesters.[/p]

Source

 

[TheTwoR's]

This is hilarious yet AWESOME xD

 

[Bladexdsl]

they copied mad max!

 

[Raiser]

Shit win? o.o

Seriously though, this is pretty wicked.

 

[bowlofspiders]

Complete and utter bull sh*t?

 

[cwstjdenobs]

A dairy farm near me has a small setup like this. Apparently the whole operation is run off of it plus they still have spare to sell back to the grid. It does really cut down on the odour for locals too. This is on a much more massive scale though and great to see.

 

[Frogman]

cant wait soon we will have our toilet hooked up to our electricity!! hooray

:yaytoilet:

 

[Sterling]

They are too late. Turkey Shit already beat them in a deuce.

 

[Rydian]

If GE's helping to push this (without slapping a GREEN label on it 50 times) that's a sign it's got actual promise.

 

[Bladexdsl]

cant wait soon we will have our toilet hooked up to our electricity!! hooray

:yaytoilet:

"honey the electricity is due"
"ok hon let me grab a bowel of chilli and head to the crapper"

 

[Hyborix3]

Since the 3DS sucks up quickly, Why not we use bullsh*t?

 

[Snorlax]

Ahaha, that's awesome.
Technology, or whatever you call this, is truly amazing.

 

[Feels Good Man]

What the shit?

I wonder if this is true or just a load of crap...

 

[Canonbeat234]

DO...NOT....WANT...maybe...

 

[cwstjdenobs]

cant wait soon we will have our toilet hooked up to our electricity!! hooray

:yaytoilet:

"honey the electricity is due"
"ok hon let me grab a bowel of chilli and head to the crapper"

Well you'd have to get rid of the water closet for something else, and a separate toilet for peeing in . You can already get composting toilets but the gas is just released into the atmosphere from them. But digester's don't just run on poo. Normal composting material works as well. It probably wouldn't be enough to produce power for your house but would definitely help with heating/cooking. If I remember rightly Vietnam already has a scheme supplying digester's to people in rural area's to supply gas for stoves and fires. Might have the wrong country but I'm pretty sure it's that part of the world.

 

[mameks]

Awesome :3
Kinda like the opposite of tv.

 

[Rydian]

 

[Theraima]

Shit = win.


This is just too awesome.

 

[mameks]

 

[ProtoKun7]

In light of all the other puns, I want to be the first to congratulate the OP for a username containing the word "Carbon".