Increasing the efficiency of dry anaerobic digestion via anaerobic gut fungi bioaugmentation: an exploratory study

Summary

Around 700 million tonnes of rice straw is produced annually as a by-product of rice cultivation in Asia, and over 300 million tonnes is routinely burned in the open fields. The resulting release of high levels of pollutants and greenhouse gases negatively impacts both health of the local population and the environment. A promising alternative solution is to convert this agricultural waste to biogas (methane and carbon dioxide) via anaerobic digestion.

In this project, a new partnership will be formed between Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and Qube Renewables, that brings together experts in anaerobe fungal biology with developers of a novel, low-cost dry anaerobic digestion (AD) system for processing rice straw and other agricultural wastes. Together they will test feasibility and effectivity of applying anaerobic fungi in biogas production from rice straw. Findings from the project will enable optimisation of the developed anaerobic digestion system and accelerate implementation of the system to aid conversion of rice straw waste to biofuel.

This project is currently underway. Aims, outcomes and impact will be published upon completion.

Academic partner: Jolanda van Munster, SRUC

Industrial partner: Joanna Clayton, Qube Renewables Ltd