Frass4Gas: Thailand
Thai insect farming residues for biogas production
In collaboration with Siripuk Suraporn at Mahasarakham University, Thailand.
Project details
Funding agency: Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD) and ASEA-UNINET
Period: Oct. 2022 - Oct. 2023
Budget: 10,400 €
Function: PI
Link: Frass4Gas
Description
For this cooperative project, we aimed to investigate the suitability of silkworm (Bombyx mori), cricket (Acheta domesticus), black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) and mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) frass as co-substrate for anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a widespread technology to convert low-value organic wastes to biogas and fertilizer (digestate). During the digestion process, the complex interactions of microbial communities and the exclusion of oxygen contribute to the hygienisation of the input substrate, thereby greatly improving the biological safety of organic wastes. Several pre-trials at our lab have shown that the co-digestion of frass from black soldier fly larvae can increase overall biogas yields from cattle manure. To expand this area of research, we plan to explore frass from insect species that are intensively farmed in Thailand (e.g., silkworms and crickets) as co-substrates for anaerobic digestion.
Involved students
- Maria Payr (lab assistance)