Is Mexico Prickly Pear Cactus-Gas an Energy Source? Yemeli Ortega - Agence France-Presse
go to original August 30, 2017

The prickly pear cactus is such a powerful symbol in Mexico that they put it smack in the middle of the national flag. It was considered sacred by the ancient Aztecs, and modern-day Mexicans eat it, drink it, and even use it in medicines and shampoos.

Now scientists have come up with a new use for the bright green plant: producing renewable energy.

A green energy start-up called Energy and Environmental Sustainability - Suema, by its Spanish acronym - got the idea to develop a biogas generator to turn that waste into energy. They decided to build it right at the source: the bustling cactus market, where hundreds of workers start each day by cleaning up the waste left from the day before.

Last year, green energy made up 15.4 percent of its energy mix - though just 0.1 percent was from biogas. Suema is looking to change that with its generator, which will ultimately produce 175 kilowatt hours - enough electricity to keep some 9,600 low-energy light bulbs burning.

The generator - a giant silver cylinder surrounded by an intricate web of pipes - churns together organic waste with a special mix of bacteria and heats it to 55 degrees Celsius (131 Fahrenheit) to produce biogas.

The leftovers can then be used as compost.

Read the rest at Saudi Gazette

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