Waste produced at slaughterhouses being transformed into sustainable energy sources via circular economy practices
The University of Perugia is leading an innovative project, Biotherep, with a goal to convert organic waste from slaughterhouses into valuable renewable energy sources such as biomethane, biocarbon, and hydrogen. This initiative, driven by a working group focusing on circular economy and sustainable development for several years, is part of a broader focus on sustainable development and aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations.
How the Biotherep Project Works
The project follows a four-step process:
- Waste Collection and Pre-treatment Organic waste, including blood, fats, bones, and other by-products, is collected and prepared for processing. Pre-treatment may involve size reduction or conditioning to optimize the subsequent biological or thermal conversion phases.
- Anaerobic Digestion for Biomethane Production The prepared waste undergoes anaerobic digestion in specialized reactors, where microorganisms break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. This process produces biogas, primarily composed of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The methane fraction is then purified and upgraded into biomethane, a renewable substitute for natural gas that can be used for heating, electricity generation, or as vehicle fuel.
- Thermochemical Conversion for Biocarbon and Hydrogen Residual solids or specific fractions of the slaughterhouse waste are subject to thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis or gasification:
- Pyrolysis decomposes organic material at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, generating biocarbon (biochar), a carbon-rich solid that can be used as a soil amendment to improve fertility and sequester carbon.
- Gasification converts organic material into synthetic gas (syngas), a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and CO2. This syngas can be further processed to extract hydrogen, a clean fuel for various energy applications.
- Integration and Circular Economy Approach The project integrates these technologies to maximize energy recovery and material recycling, ensuring minimal waste. Nutrients and by-products are recycled back into soil or used in other industrial processes, embodying a circular economy model.
Contributing to the 2030 Agenda
The Biotherep project contributes to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): Production of renewable biomethane and hydrogen fuels.
- SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Efficient waste management and valorization of slaughterhouse by-products.
- SDG 13 (Climate Action): Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by substituting fossil fuels and sequestering carbon through biocarbon.
- SDG 15 (Life on Land): Enhancing soil health through biochar application.
Assunta Marrocchi, a member of the project, emphasizes the production of biomethane, biocarbon, and hydrogen at the end of the process. The project is still in the process of production, with the expected outcome being the production of these renewable energy sources.
The Biotherep project secured funding under the LEA-PRE program, a Long Term EU-Africa Partnership for Research and Innovation actions in the renewable energy sector. In addition to academic sector partners, the project involves private sector partners, reflecting its commitment to collaboration and real-world application.
This groundbreaking initiative exemplifies an innovative bio-refinery approach that turns organic slaughterhouse waste into diverse sustainable energy vectors, promoting environmental stewardship and advancing the 2030 Agenda’s vision for a cleaner, more resilient future. The potential success of the pilot plant project could lead to its replication in other locations.
- The renewable-energy industry is part of the broader focus on sustainable development at the University of Perugia, as demonstrated by the Biotherep project, which aims to create renewable energy sources such as biomethane, biocarbon, and hydrogen from organic waste.
- The Biotherep project contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), by producing renewable biomethane and hydrogen fuels, and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through efficient waste management and the valorization of slaughterhouse by-products.
- The environmental-science sector, finance, and the private sector have all contributed to the Biotherep project, which aims to advance the 2030 Agenda's vision for a cleaner, more resilient future by promoting a circular economy approach and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
