Using Waste, Swedish City Cuts Fossil Fuel Use

One Swedish city is saying bye to fossil fuels and using its position as an epicenter of farming and food processing to generate energy from some unlikely sources... potato peels, manure, used cooking oil, stale cookies and pig intestines.

1 minute read

December 13, 2010, 7:00 AM PST

By Anonymous (not verified)

10 years ago, the city of Kristianstad, Sweden (population 80,000) set a goal of eliminating fossil fuels from its energy needs. Elizabeth Rosenthal reports that they've essentially reached that goal, with oil, natural gas and coal replaced by burning waste products:

"A hulking 10-year-old plant on the outskirts of Kristianstad uses a biological process to transform the detritus into biogas, a form of methane. That gas is burned to create heat and electricity, or is refined as a fuel for cars.

Once the city fathers got into the habit of harnessing power locally, they saw fuel everywhere: Kristianstad also burns gas emanating from an old landfill and sewage ponds, as well as wood waste from flooring factories and tree prunings."

Thanks to Wana Azam

FULL STORY: Using Waste, Swedish City Shrinks Its Fossil Fuel Waste

Friday, December 10, 2010 in The New York Times

Environment Europe Sweden Fossil Fuel Sustainability

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