Embarking on a Novel Power Source
July 8, 2011
BY Rona Johnson
Did you know that city officials in Gilbert, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix, are considering using dog poop collected from a park to produce power? It’s true, according to an Associated Press story.
Students at Arizona State University are designing and creating a “dog waste digester” to turn that waste into methane gas that would in turn be used to generate power.
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The story went on to say that the power would be used to run a street lamp and eventually would have other uses.
I immediately thought of our dog park here in Grand Forks, N.D., and all the street lamps that keep it well-lit at night. Wouldn’t it be great if the dogs could contribute to keeping those street lights on? And what about the street lights along the public walkways that are often littered with dog waste from owners who don’t pick up after their pets.
I don’t know how much dog poop would be needed to produce a kilowatt of electricity but I would imagine in larger cities it might make even more sense. I know people who have two or three dogs, even though they live in the city.
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Just thought I’d lighten things up a little bit.
Have a great weekend.
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