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Full scale co-digestion of wastewater sludge and food waste: Bottlenecks and possibilities

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  • Nghiem, Long D.
  • Koch, Konrad
  • Bolzonella, David
  • Drewes, Jörg E.

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plants in many countries use anaerobic digesters for biosolids management and biogas generation. Opportunities exist to utilise the spare capacity of these digesters to co-digest food waste and sludge for energy recovery and a range of other economic and environmental benefits. This paper provides a critical perspective for full-scale implementation of co-digestion of food waste and wastewater sludge. Data compiled from full-scale facilities and the peer-reviewed literature revealed several key bottlenecks hindering full-scale implementation of co-digestion. Indeed, co-digestion applications remain concentrated mostly in countries or regions with favourable energy and waste management policies. Not all environmental benefits from waste diversion and resource recovery can be readily monetarised into revenue to support co-digestion projects. Our field surveys also revealed the important issue of inert impurities in food waste with significant implication to the planning, design, and operation of food waste processing and co-digestion plants. Other pertinent issues include regulatory uncertainty regarding gate fee, the lack of viable options for biogas utilisation, food waste collection and processing, impacts of co-digestion on biosolids reuse and downstream biogas utilisation, and lack of design and operation experience. Effort to address these bottlenecks and promote co-digestion requires a multi-disciplinary approach.

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  • Nghiem, Long D. & Koch, Konrad & Bolzonella, David & Drewes, Jörg E., 2017. "Full scale co-digestion of wastewater sludge and food waste: Bottlenecks and possibilities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 354-362.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:72:y:2017:i:c:p:354-362
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.01.062
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    14. Philipp Kehrein & Mark van Loosdrecht & Patricia Osseweijer & John Posada & Jo Dewulf, 2020. "The SPPD-WRF Framework: A Novel and Holistic Methodology for Strategical Planning and Process Design of Water Resource Factories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-31, May.
    15. Cheng, F. & Brewer, C.E., 2021. "Conversion of protein-rich lignocellulosic wastes to bio-energy: Review and recommendations for hydrolysis + fermentation and anaerobic digestion," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    16. Solé-Bundó, Maria & Passos, Fabiana & Romero-Güiza, Maycoll S. & Ferrer, Ivet & Astals, Sergi, 2019. "Co-digestion strategies to enhance microalgae anaerobic digestion: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 471-482.
    17. Julia Burmistrova & Marc Beutel & Erin Hestir & Rebecca Ryals & Pramod Pandey, 2022. "Anaerobic Co-Digestion to Enhance Waste Management Sustainability at Yosemite National Park," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-12, September.
    18. Strazzabosco, A. & Kenway, S.J. & Conrad, S.A. & Lant, P.A., 2021. "Renewable electricity generation in the Australian water industry: Lessons learned and challenges for the future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    19. Ma, Chaonan & Liu, Jianyong & Ye, Min & Zou, Lianpei & Qian, Guangren & Li, Yu-You, 2018. "Towards utmost bioenergy conversion efficiency of food waste: Pretreatment, co-digestion, and reactor type," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 700-709.
    20. Andrea Baccioli & Lorenzo Ferrari & Romain Guiller & Oumayma Yousfi & Francesco Vizza & Umberto Desideri, 2019. "Feasibility Analysis of Bio-Methane Production in a Biogas Plant: A Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, February.
    21. Cong, Rong-Gang & Thomsen, Marianne, 2021. "Review of ecosystem services in a bio-based circular economy and governance mechanisms," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    22. Chiappero, Marco & Norouzi, Omid & Hu, Mingyu & Demichelis, Francesca & Berruti, Franco & Di Maria, Francesco & Mašek, Ondřej & Fiore, Silvia, 2020. "Review of biochar role as additive in anaerobic digestion processes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    23. Dennehy, C. & Lawlor, P.G. & Gardiner, G.E. & Jiang, Y. & Shalloo, L. & Zhan, X., 2017. "Stochastic modelling of the economic viability of on-farm co-digestion of pig manure and food waste in Ireland," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 1528-1537.
    24. Strazzabosco, A. & Conrad, S.A. & Lant, P.A. & Kenway, S.J., 2020. "Expert opinion on influential factors driving renewable energy adoption in the water industry," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 754-765.

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