Anaerobic digestion
Anaerobic digestion, in plain terms.
A proven technology, used for decades in Europe and North America, to turn organic waste into energy and natural fertilizer.
The principle
Nothing is lost.
Anaerobic digestion is a proven technology: several thousand plants around the world, and more than 300 facilities in operation in Canada. It recovers organic waste in two complementary forms: energy, as biogas, and digestate, a natural fertilizer reused mainly in agriculture.
Applied to the land, digestate improves soil health and quality, its ability to retain water, and nutrient uptake by plants. At the end of the chain, this means better yields and better quality vegetables, fruit, and grains.
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01
Organic feedstock
Crop residues, manure and slurry from livestock farms, municipal bio-waste (the brown bin), and food processing residues.
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02
Anaerobic digestion
In the digester, without oxygen and at a controlled temperature (about 38 °C), organic matter breaks down naturally.
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03
Biogas
The gas produced is captured, then purified. It is used to generate electricity and heat, injected into the gas grid, or converted into fuel (bio-CNG).
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04
Digestate
The residue from digestion: a natural fertilizer that enriches agricultural soils, retains water better, and nourishes crops.
What it brings
A virtuous agricultural loop.
- Renewable energy, replacing fossil fuels.
- A natural fertilizer that replaces mineral fertilizers.
- Healthier, more productive soils.
- Less organic waste sent to landfill.
What about you?