An Integrated BioGas-Solar Dehydration System: Increasing Sustainability Through Value-Added Agriculture

In Hawaii and across the US, mandates for biofuels have increased the production of biodiesel, throughout many of our rural communities. Hawaii's Jatropha biodiesel production will produce 6,000 pounds of agricultural waste - consisting of seedcake, fruit hulls and glycerine - for every 250 gallons of biodiesel produced. Biogasification of these byproduct residues, into a methane gas, can be readily utilized to generate electrical and thermal energy, through a microturbine generator. This configuration will supply enough power and heat to efficiently operate a biodiesel production facility, as well as an adjacent solar dehydration plant - with all of its surplus power, sold to the utility grid. This integration of a biogas-solar dehydration system is a natural progression, as Hawaii lays abundant in solar radiation throughout the year. Value-added dehydrated food products, ingredients and co-products can be economically produced through this integrated match. Even the processed residues, from this dehydration process, is turned into a biogas feedstock, which in-turn provides a constant heat source for drying foods and co-products - throughout the nights and cloudy days. In Hawaii and the American Pacific, with their year-round growing seasons, farmers are able to grow tropical fruits, botanicals and specialty crops that can be fully utilized, processed and integrated into this production system. Such local manufacturing of quality food and green energy products; will encourage more value-added production in these socio-economically downturned rural communities. Thus, the implementation of this sustainable development system; will increase the area's agricultural viability; while aggressively enhancing the community's economic multiplier throughout the rural economy.