A newly patented bioreactor technology developed by American Technologies Inc. (ATI) Petroleum will be used on poultry farms in Georgia to decompose waste, with the resulting methane being used to produce electricity for use on the farms.

ATI, which expanded from Vietnam to locations in Tennessee, Nevada and California, conducted trials at five locations – one in Bakersfield, Ga., and four in Vietnam – and discovered all five pilot plants were capable of generating clean energy and reducing greenhouse gases and leakage from landfills to nearly zero.

The aerobic bioreactor technology uses less odorous components than anaerobic digestion and decreases sludge output. Microbes, like bacteria, degrade the waste mass, which could include animal manure, agricultural and forestry waste, food waste, paper and other organic biodegradable products.

The feedstock is broken down into a safe, easy to handle, odor-free and nutrient-rich organic fertilizer.

The fertilizer byproduct will present a savings to the farmers as fertilizer costs rise. Besides being environmentally friendly, the bioreactor eliminates the problems of waste storage, groundwater contamination, and saves farmers money on removal and tipping fees.

The poultry farmers will use that energy for cooking and heating, along with powering their homes. Any extra energy may be sold to the grid and ATI already is in discussions with some utility companies to develop agreements.

ATI has conducted other renewable energy projects in Vietnam, many in the solar energy sector. The company would also like to experiment with municipal solid waste as a feedstock for its aerobic bioreactor. The technology would not have to be retrofitted, but would be required to operate on a grander scale.

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