Researchers at the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota once worked on technology to convert waste from a space station and future Martian bases into heat and power. Now they’re testing their tech on more earthly applications. Like turning coffee waste into power.
The project will use a mostly renewable and bio-based waste and convert it into electricity for the coffee industry, Deputy Associate Director for Research Chris Zygarlicke said in the statement this week. The waste stream that will be used includes coffee residues, plastic packaging, paper, cloth or burlap and plastic cups.
Researchers will first try to demonstrate they can gasify the complex mixture of waste and produce clean synthetic gas, or syngas, by using the EERC’s advanced fixed-bed gasifier. The syngas would then be used in an internal combustion engine (or a fuel cell) to produce electricity and heat; or it will be converted to biofuels or chemicals....