Produce fuel from cow's belching gas

Argentine scientists have found a way to turn belching gas, created by the cows' digestive system, into fuel. They said the improvement could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, leading to global warming.

>>>Measuring cow emissions to combat climate change

The Argentine National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) came up with the idea of ​​using a valve and pump system to collect and belch gas from cows.

New experimental techniques have led digestive gas from the abdominal cavity of crawling through a tube and into a reservoir. The resulting gas is then processed to separate methane from other gases, such as carbon dioxide.

Gas generated by buffaloes and cows accounts for about 30% of Argentina's greenhouse gas emissions.(Photo: Reuters)

Methane is the main component of natural gas, used as fuel for many devices, from cars to power plants. A herd of cattle averages 250-300 liters of pure methane per day, enough to power a 24-hour refrigerator.

Guillermo Berra, head of INTA's Department of Animal Physiology, emphasized: "After methane gas is obtained from the processing of cow's belching gas, we will obtain a product similar to natural gas. This way of creating energy sources is not really feasible, but by 2050, when fossil fuel reserves are in danger of exhaustion, this will really be an alternative energy source. "

Argentina is one of the world's leading beef exporters, with about 51 million cattle. The gas emitted by these buffaloes and cows accounts for about 30% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions, according to INTA. Therefore, utilizing burnt gas to produce fuel is also a way to reduce this situation.