Energy recovery from wastewaters with high-rate anaerobic digesters

Biodegradable wastewaters contribute as much as 6% of all anthropogenic methane emissions. High-rate anaerobic digesters have the potential to treat such wastewaters efficiently as well as enable capture of methane for use as a relatively clean energy source. This paper traces the evolution of high-rate anaerobic digester technology and provides an overview of its present capabilities. It also makes out a case for an accelerated shift from energy-intensive aerobic processes to anaerobic processes which are not only more energy-efficient but enable global warming control by methane capture. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.