The fertilizer byproduct will present a savings to the farmers as fertilizer costs rise. "We're most excited about the opportunities in biomass on poultry farms." The company is developing up to 30-year contracts with Vietnamese poultry farmers near Atlanta, Ga. "We are working for commercialization," she said. She added that promoting optimal conditions necessary for bacteria to thrive increases the extent of organic waste decomposition and increases conversion rates and the effectiveness of the process. The feedstock is broken down into a safe, easy-to-handle, odor-free and nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, McDonald said. Microbes, such as bacteria, degrade the waste mass, which could include animal manure, agricultural and forestry waste, food waste, paper and other organic biodegradable products. The aerobic bioreactor technology uses less odorous components than anaerobic digestion and decreases sludge, according to Alicia McDonald, director of research for ATI's Clean Energy Division. Petroleum will be used on poultry farms in Georgia to decompose waste, with the resulting methane being used to produce electricity for use on the farms.ĪTI, which expanded from Vietnam to locations in Tennessee, Nevada and California, conducted trials at five locations-one in Bakersfield, Ga., and four in Vietnam-and discovered all five pilot plants were capable of generating clean energy and reducing greenhouse gases and leakage from landfills to nearly zero, the company said.
ADVERTISEMENTA newly patented bioreactor technology developed by American Technologies Inc.