Energising Waste

Renewable resources are a good source of sustainable energy, however renewable resource storage is facing significant challenges. Efficient and reliable energy access is imperative for meeting demand and supply, and while current electricity storage methods are technically successful, the challenge of their techno-economic feasibility remains. We propose two methodologies for on-demand electricity generation, creating a circular system that manages organic waste at the domestic scale, reducing:

• waste sent to landfill
• associated transportation, sorting and processing emissions
• untreated sewage effluent discharge to water body

Prototype 1, a small scale anaerobic digester, will be installed in the OME to demonstrate the how we might produce biogas from household waste. The biodigestor will collect domestic waste, digest it and produce biogas that will run a stove or a lamp. Integrating the biodigestor in this setup will allow it to operate continuously and store biogas, which will be available for use when required to supply energy for the home.

Prototype 2, a microbial fuel cell, creates efficient and sustainable energy generation for meeting demand and supply. This prototype is more research oriented, and will experiment with chemical energy storage which can be stored and used according to the demand. It will also be produced from domestic waste via microbial cultivations.

By integrating ‘green’ energy in the home, we hope to create more demand for building highly efficient and sustainable domestic infrastructures.