Fruits and vegetables in methanization

Fruits and vegetables are organic materials that are acceptable in a methanizer. Like all organic materials, they will produce biogas as they decompose and this can be captured and revalued into green energy and fertilizer thanks to the methanization process.

Fruits and vegetables can be redirected to methanization sites in several forms and for several reasons:

• Most of the time, in the form of residues after processing. For example, when apples are pressed to recover the juice, we also obtain apple pomace which contains all the solid residues of the apple after pressing: the pulp, the pips, the core, the skin... these residues always have the potential to produce biogas.
• Sometimes whole, in the case of unsold supermarket items or if they do not meet quality standards for retail sale.

Depending on the organic compounds (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins) present in each variety of fruit or vegetable, the organic matter content and therefore the methanogenic power can vary. Maturation can also change this potential.

As an indication, the methanogenic power of apple pomace will be on average between 50 and 55nm3 of CH4 per tonne of raw material.

The availability of these types of products may depend on their seasonality. To take the example of apples, the majority of harvesting and pressing campaigns will take place between September and November each year.

Some products require special attention, such as citrus fruits. Their thick skin is more difficult to break down and will require pre-treatment such as grinding to optimize the process.

The ideal way to store these products is with a bulk bin system. Methappro is here to build the ideal collection and recovery model for each project.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to recycle your biowaste, or if you are a methanizer who is looking for this type of input: contact@methappro.fr .