Biogas Potential of Wastes and By-Products of the Alcoholic Beverage Production Industries in the Spanish Region of Cantabria

Abstract

The industry of alcoholic beverage production has been, historically, both an important economic engine and a source of wastes and pollution (due to the production processes by themselves and to the energy requirements) in a number of countries. In the small region of Cantabria, in northern Spain, the production of alcoholic beverages as an economic sector has been growing in importance in recent years. Thus, there is a new flow of waste for which specific management plans have yet to be developed. The result is an increase in the total amount of urban waste to be disposed. Anaerobic digestion can be a suitable in-situ solution for the treatment of the generated wastes providing a source of renewable energy which can be a supply for the processes in these industries, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases associated to the use of fossil fuels, all of this benefitting both environment and economy. In this work the authors present the information gathered about waste generation and the biomethanogenic potential of the most important wastes generated in the industries. As a result, specific strategies could be designed for the industrial sector in the region, of which other small agro-industries can benefit.

Energetic Valorization of Solid Wastes from the Alcoholic Beverage Production Industry: Distilled Gin Spent Botanicals and Brewers’ Spent Grains

“…The specific methane production values attained of 3659 l N CH 4 kgVS −1 for BSGs and 2863 l N CH 4 kgVS −1 for DGSBs are in line with those attained in Montes and Rico [28].…”

Spent Grain: A Functional Ingredient for Food Applications

“…The circular economy is based on extending the life cycle of products by reusing, renovating and recycling them for as long as possible, thus reducing waste. In this respect, innovations are stimulated and solutions are found to meet the rising challenges [ 42 , 43 ]. A sustainable approach to the circular economy is necessary in order to use the circular economy structure for food by-products.…”

Special Issue on the Intensified Conversion of Organic Waste into Biogas

“…Anaerobic digestion can be a suitable in situ solution for the treatment of agro-industry wastes, providing a source of renewable energy, which can be a supply for the processes in these industries [7]. Montes et al [7] assessed the biomethanogenic potential of several wastes and by-products from alcoholic beverage production, indicating that the economic feasibility of anaerobic digestion technologies could depend on the capability of the industries to join forces and create consortiums [7]. Moreover, the implementation of biogas production units may include pre/post-treatments and must consider the logistics of sludge disposal [8].…”