Thursday, February 23, 2006
Using dog poop to create energy
San Francisco has come up with an interesting solution to managing dog waste. The city has begun a new project that will convert dog poop into methane gas. The methane gas would then be used to power common household objects such as stoves and heaters or anything else that runs on natural gas.
The city got the project underway by placing special receptacles and poopy bags in one of San Francisco’s most popular dog parks. Dog owners can use the special bags to pick up their dog’s droppings and then they place the bag in the designated container. The trash bins will then be emptied and the waste will be kept in a special container for a few weeks where bacteria will eventually convert the waste into methane gas.
It is a very interesting concept, but the project is still in the early stages and there are many obstacles still to overcome before the process is perfected and can be used by the general public.