EPA funding project to cut methane emissions in food, brewery industries

Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech
·2 min read

Story at a glance

  • The Environmental Protection Agency just awarded Ohio University nearly $200,000 to go toward a project aimed at reducing methane emissions.

  • The project would target food and brewery sectors near the university using a process called anaerobic digestion.

  • Anaerobic digestion uses microorganisms to break down organic material.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday it will be granting Ohio University $195,736 to help expand the use of anaerobic digestion.

The funds will specifically go to the university’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service which is working on a project to expand the use of anaerobic digestion in the food and brewery sectors.

Anaerobic digestion can help lower the production of methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas, created at farms, landfills and from food waste.

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In 2020, methane made up 11 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to EPA data.

“As food breaks down, it produces methane — a major contributor to climate change,” said EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore in a statement. “Anaerobic digesters can help cut food waste, reduce methane emissions from landfills and aid in the fight against climate change.”

Biogas is made up of methane and can therefore be captured and potentially used as an energy source, according to the EPA. Meanwhile, digestate can be used for animal bedding, fertilizer, or compost.

Anaerobic digestion can help lower the production of methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas, created at farms, landfills, and from food waste, according to the EPA.

The university will work with local restaurants to figure out the potential for waste diversion at microbreweries and estimate how much biogas or fertilizer an anaerobic digestion system will produce at these neighboring businesses.

“There are many opportunities for renewable biogas generation from organic wastes, and we are working to identify the most beneficial designs for microbrewery operations,” said Sarah Davis, principal investigator for Ohio University, in a statement.

“We are fortunate to have a partnership with an innovative microbrewery that prioritizes sustainability and look forward to highlighting their integrated farming-brewery-restaurant operations as a model for others.”

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