Sniffing out the Value of Anaerobic Digestion
A summary of MnDRIVE’s anaerobic digestion panel discussion
Caroline Frischmon (writer)
As part of the Hennepin-University Partnership (HUP) Summer Webinar Series, MnDRIVE Environment hosted a panel discussion on the history, current efforts, and future of anaerobic digestion (AD) in Minnesota.
Anaerobic digestion converts organic material, such as food waste, manure, or wastewater, into biogas and a nutrient-rich component called digestate. AD facilities apply the digestate as fertilizer to agricultural fields while converting biogas to electricity or upgrading it to renewable natural gas. The process of anaerobic digestion is well-established scientifically, but economic challenges have limited its implementation across Minnesota, and in other regions of the US.