Swedish researcher finds way to get around challenges of biogas from forestry waste

In Sweden, forest waste containing lignocellulose is a material that microorganisms do not break down very easily. It takes a very long time for them to decompose naturally and in the industrial processes used to break down waste, microorganisms are inhibited by toxic substances and are released from the reactors when the remnants of the decomposition process are flushed out and replaced with new materials to become biogas. A doctoral student a University of Borås has shown in his research that it is possible to get around the problem and at the same time obtain a higher amount of valuable gases such as hydrogen and methane that are used for the production of biofuels and other valuable substances.