Robert Fischer, our Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency expert, went along to watch the installation of a Biogas Digester at a household development in Newlands.
What is a biogas digester?
A biogas digester, or more correctly, an Anaerobic Digester, is essentially a big stomach. It accepts food in the front end, in the form of animal, human or plant waste products, which are broken down by special bacteria. This “digesting” of the food results in the production of biogas, and a much reduced volume of waste coming out the back end. This biogas is methane rich, which means it can be burned to produce electricity, cook food or provide light or heating. Read more here
Biogas digesters prove that ‘sewage’ does not have to be a dirty word. One of the biggest unsolved public health and environmental problems facing all of us is the untreated or partially treated sewage that is flowing into our rivers, our townships and our ground water. For more information visit: www.biogaspro.com.
Mr. Bruce Kerswill, the proud owner of the latest biogas-digester called a ‘BiogasPro’ from AGAMA Biogas, is convinced that the biogas digester installed at his newly-built residential building will cover most of his family’s cooking needs. It is fed with “black water”, (i.e. sewage from toilets) to ensure that the digester doesn’t get over-filled. In addition it will get fed with kitchen off-cuts and biodegradable garden waste.
Mr. Kerswill is the executive chair of the Green Building Council so for him there’s no question that such technology should be introduced in residential housing developments. The benefits are clear: household waste is effectively utilised, a switch from carbon emitting electricity towards biogas for cooking, no transport costs for garden waste, a perfect fertilizer for the garden and a reduced load on the sewage system.
The environmentally friendly installation at this development in Newlands does not stop at the Biogas digester – it continues on the roof, a Solar Water Heater will be installed to supply all residents with perfect hot water!
Congratulations to AGAMA Biogas and Mr. Bruce Kerswill – keep on cutting carbon!
For more information about biogas digesters please visit our website
Contact Mr. Greg Austin or Ms. Marisa Naude at AGAMA Biogas: http://www.biogaspro.com/
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