Since the beginning of September, Christoffer Hansen has been conducting biogas research on behalf of the Post Carbon Institute. The purpose of this research is to both demonstrate and trouble-shoot year-round production of biogas at the University of British Columbia Energy Farm, located in Vancouver, B.C. A secondary research goal is geared toward perfecting a prototype batch digester that performs safe and adequate agitation of digester contents, scrubs corrosive hydrogen sulfide gas, and is able to be replicated using items that are cheap, easy to source, and easy to assemble.

Two batch style digesters will be used to generate the biogas. Both digesters will be located inside a greenhouse as a way to offer the bacteria involved protection from cooler winter temperatures. The chosen digestion substrate will be clover and air dried maple leaves, with a small portion of locally sourced lama and sheep dung.

At the beginning of the September research samples of anaerobic bacteria were collected in order to create multiple inoculation cultures. These cultures will be used to "start" the two digesters and help establish a large population of methane forming bacteria.

-To read the report regarding the feasibility of year-round biogas generation at the UBC Energy Farm click here