One of the jobs horse owners dread is manure and waste management. This type of work increases exponentially depending on how many horses you have. But what if there was a way to make a sustainable energy source from your horse waste? In Finland, this is exactly what is being done. Continue reading for more information on this relatively new form of energy harvesting. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.
Manure Makes Sustainable Energy
Current heat recovery technology works well and is gaining momentum in local equine shows and amongst farmers. It is the hope of some organizations that this will be a sustainable energy source that could replace fossil fuels. The idea is simple. Composting horse manure creates fertilizer and generates heat as a by product. This heat energy converts to a more usable power for homes. A rotary drum composting mechanism, equipped with a heat recovery system, generates the energy. The system converts energy until the waste is fully composted within a week. The recovered energy heats nearby rooms and water.
However promising, manure management as an energy source faces some obstacles. At the moment, the technology only works on a small scale. Managing moisture is one of the key challenges. Also, manure is over 80% water. Therefore, it has a very low heating value when moist. One solution is mixing the manure with wood chips to overcome the humidity problem. Today, the Finns are researching more efficient ways to solve this problem and harness the potential energy. It is only a matter of time. Though Finland currently spearheads the movement, the entire world of horse owners are watching.
