Grant: Engage Grants Program

Biogas (methane + CO2) is produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic waste material and is used for heating and the generation of electricity, thus offsetting non-renewable fossil fuels. BioGas Energy Inc. (BEI) wishes to expand its range of feedstocks to include lignocellulosic (wood-derived) waste materials. Although abundant, these materials contain lignin which suppresses methane production. Decomposition of lignocellulose occurs naturally in the presence of oxygen, but not under the anaerobic conditions required for methane production. We propose to determine the carbon to nitrogen ratios and the lignin and cellulose contents of a range of lignocellulosic waste materials. The resulting data on the chemical composition of the lignocellulosic waste materials is a critical first step toward a larger collaborative project with BEI. Lignocellulosic materials comprise 26% of Canadian municipal waste. This material is either recycled, composted or sent to landfill, depending on the quality of the material and the efficiency of local recycling programs. Decomposition of the composted fraction is aerobic and emits CO2 to the atmosphere, while decomposition in landfills is anaerobic and emits both CO2 and methane. Although both are greenhouse gases, methane has twenty times the potency of CO2 and landfills are responsible for 25% of Canada's methane emissions. Diverting lignocellulosic materials from the composting and landfill streams for use in biogas production would be highly advantageous in that it would reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from these sources. As the biogas produced would be used for heating and the generation of electricity, it would serve to offset non-renewable fossil fuels. Information on the chemical composition of readily available lignocellulosic feedstocks and their potential for biogas production will be of great benefit to BEI, enabling informed decisions with respect to the utilization of wood-derived municipal waste in their facility.