Some of them such as those developed by a team of researchers from Washington University, United States (U.S.). They try to utilize farm waste to create a gas that can be converted into an energy source.
The researchers took advantage of specific bacteria to break down cow manure into methane. This gas that can later be processed into new energy sources. In addition, with these bacteria, pollution from manure, either smell or waste, can be removed.
Professor Muthanna Al-Dahhan, from Washington University who led the project said that the process of decomposition of cow manure into methane is not too complicated so that ordinary farmers could do. "Every year, cattle in the world producing approximately 1.8 billion tons of dirt. Breeders can turn manure into environmentally friendly bio-energy by the bacteria," said Muthanna Al-Dahhan.
To make energy made from cow dung, the researchers received grants $ 2, 1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. In fact, given the result is quite effective, an energy company in the U.S. has launched to treat this waste as a farm bisnisGibbs Energy is committed to invest USD25 million to build a factory decomposing cow manure into methane.
If the U.S. were processed manure into energy, what about Indonesia? So far, we know the cow manure can be processed into fertilizer. In addition, when rising fuel prices some time ago, this technology is apparently also been successfully applied by one breeder in Indonesia, although not as sophisticated in America. Thus, it is actually a matter of willingness to make this as one solution to rising fuel prices lately.