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Mechanical stomach for renewable energy built by SRC

Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) builds small-scale biodigester for museum in Ottawa. Tom Alfoldi / Supplied

OTTAWA – A museum in Ottawa unveiled its new biodigester Monday built by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC).

A team of specialists with SRC in Regina designed and built the small-scale demonstration piece for the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (CAFM)’s energy park.

This innovative equipment converts cow manure into renewable energy.

A biodigester is like a mechanical stomach. Organic material goes in and is broken down by bacteria in an oxygen-free tank to produce methane.

The end product, also known as biogas, allows farmers to generate their own power by feeding it into a natural gas system.

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Biogas produced from this small-scale unit is the equivalent of 23 litres of gasoline over a one week period.

In Europe, biodigesters have proven to be economical for many years. The majority operating economically in Canada are in Ontario and Quebec.

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“This biodigester demonstrates our sustainability efforts, while at the same time strengthening SRC’s position as a leading research and technology provider,” said Dr. Laurier Schramm, SRC president and CEO.

The custom-built machine will allow museum visitors to learn about leading-edge technology coming from Canadian-based research and development.

SRC provides services and products to 1,800 clients around the globe.

Watch the video below: How a biodigester works

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