Decarbonization Avenue : Renewable Natural Gas

Innovation Insights

Renewable natural gas and lactic acid production from waste feedstocks

In the anaerobic digestion process, wet organic wastes are first converted to fatty acids which in turn get converted to methane by select bacteria.

By arresting the methanation process midway, also called “arrested methanogenesis”, it is also possible to produce other chemicals such as lactic acid from the biodigestion process.

This opens up possibilities of the biogas digesters becoming biorefineries that produce chemicals in addition to biogas. 

Relevant for

  • Chemical engineer
  • Biochemical engineer
  • Biomass energy professional
  • Solid waste management professional

Innovation sector

  • Biotechnology
  • Chemistry & chemical engineering

Web Resources

Life Cycle Analysis of Renewable Natural Gas and Lactic Acid Production from Waste Feedstocks

01-05-2021

Source: US Dept of Energy

Website : Link

Innovation Category

Stakeholders

Industry

Biogas Biocatalysis: Methanotrophic Bacterial Cultivation, Metabolite Profiling, and Bioconversion to Lactic Acid

01-10-2018

Source: Frontiers in Microbiology

Website : Link

Innovation Category

Stakeholders

Industry

Domain

Waste management

Type of innovation

Core sciences & engineering

Stakeholders

Corporate researcher

Startup or entrepreneur

Solution provider

Financial investor

Industry

Chemicals