Food waste is a growing problem in Canada and many other parts of the world — and it is only expected to get worse in the coming years. The , alongside .
Not only will this create large amounts of food and municipal organic waste, but there will also be increasing amounts of agricultural waste as the global demand of vegetables, fruits and grains increases. An estimated 60 per cent of food produced in Canada — — ends up in landfills. However, Canadian .
Food waste comes with its own set of issues, including , unpleasant odours, pests and . In addition, every year, municipal dumps take over more land, reaching the edges of communities, which can lead to for those who are living nearby.
In an effort to reduce the growing problem of food waste disposal, researchers like myself are focusing on developing new technologies that use food waste to generate clean energy. My team and I are studying a process known as biomass gasification.
Biomass gasification
Biomass gasification uses heat, oxygen, steam, or a mixture of those, to convert biomass — food and agricultural waste or other biological materials — into a mixture of gases that can be used as fuel.
Biomass gasification works by feeding semi-dry food waste into a unit that looks a bit like a cooking pot, where it passes through a hot, bubbling substance that converts it to fuel gas. This process, known as is very efficient at converting food waste into high-valuable sources of . Syngas can be used to generate heat and power. This process is sustainable because is considered to be .
this sustainable technology to for heating or electricity. They could also significantly reduce and lower which can reach near $380 million per year for a city the size of Toronto.
Replacing fossil fuels
The consumption of fossil fuels and their derivatives has created an environmental crisis, mainly due to in the atmosphere, which has led to climate change. As governments around the world implement that restrict greenhouse gas emissions or , it is important to replace fossil fuels with alternative renewable sources of energy such as agricultural and food waste.
Although can be used like a conventional natural gas, which is a methane-based fossil fuel, it is different from it because of its higher composition of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
These gases can be further converted into . Biomass gasification also generates .
While the production of syngas depends on the type of biomass and technology used. The Canadian Atikokan Generating Station, for instance, produced 205 megawatts of clean electricity. This is enough energy to .
Global projects
in developing sustainable and cost-efficient biomass gasification projects and using food waste to support their domestic production of heat, power and bio-based chemicals. Canada has a few companies and . In this case, Canada produces .
Costa Rica is another example. As one of the top 20 coffee producers in the world, Costa Rica generates a significant amount of agricultural waste from coffee production and its disposal presents serious environmental problems. Its present solution is biomass gasification technologies to .
Small and marginal communities could also take full advantage of biomass gasification technologies by reducing the amount of food waste that accumulates in landfills, producing their own energy and power and significantly lowering their utilities expenses.
A sustainable and circular economy
Biomass gasification is a sustainable and technological strategy that turns food waste to a value-added product. It is a step along the path to a culture of zero waste.
Policy leaders and governments need to support sustainable programs by providing financial aid, subsidies and tax incentives. These programs may also encourage individuals and companies to invest in biomass gasification technologies and develop them on a commercial scale.
Biomass gasification brings cities and municipalities one step closer to putting an end to concerns about food waste. It also helps meet energy demands and displace fossil fuel use and will help us transition towards a sustainable and circular economy.
Salvador Escobedo Salas is affiliated with Recat Technologies Inc. and the Chemical Reactor Engineering Centre (CREC) at Western University.
