Marine biomass program: anaerobic digestion systems development and stability study. Final report 1 Feb-31 Dec 82

Marine biomass represents a significant potential worldwide energy resource that can be converted to methane by anaerobic digestion. Through efficient biomass production, harvesting, and conversion techniques, competitive methane gas costs are achievable. The objective of this research project is to develop and define an anaerobic digestion process for producing methane from giant brown kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). Kelp continues to show superior performance as a feedstock for gas production when compared with other particulate biomass feedstocks. Further work on upflow solids reactors and two-phase reactor systems is expected to improve gas cost estimates over those made using other state-of-the-art reactors.