December 22, 2022Heat pumps could reduce biogas carbon footprint by 36%, research suggestsAn alternative source of heat could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a process which turns food waste into power, new research suggests.A University of Glasgow-led team of scientists have demonstrated that using air-source heat pumps to support anaerobic digestion could cut the carbon emitted during the production of biogas by more than a third.With their model validated, the researchers set about exploring how the carbon footprint of a heat pump-based system would compare to that of a natural gas-based one over the course of their expected lifespans, using a standardized approach called life cycle assessment.He said, "Humans unavoidably produce biodegradable waste on scales from the very small, like the scrapings from a dinner plate, to the very large, like urban wastewater treatment plants."This model is the first technical and environmental assessment of just how useful air-source heat pumps could be in decarbonising the process of producing biogas."