Amid all the chaos in the world, it’s important to remind yourself there are plenty of great things happening, too. This week we’re looking at the great efforts in Germany in turning sewage into shipping fuel.
Germany turned sewage into shipping fuel
Sewage. There’s no shortage of it. Could it be a renewable energy of the future?
Scientists are optimistic after a pioneering facility that converts wastewater into “climate-neutral” methanol opened in Germany.
The test plant in Mannheim takes biogas from sewage, purifies it, and uses green hydrogen to convert it into methanol, which can be used as shipping fuel.
“This is an innovative approach that shows how available resources can be used in a smart and climate-friendly way,” said Prof Thomas Hirth of Germany’s Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, which built the facility.
Hirth and his team believe that the plant offers a blueprint for others to follow, claiming the fuel could help reduce shipping’s impact on the climate. The sector accounts for roughly 3% of global emissions.
The high cost of producing green hydrogen, however, may prove to be a barrier in the short term. But with around 80,000 sewage treatment plants in Europe, there is plenty of wastewater to go round.