Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are converting spent barley malt from breweries into biomass fuel, creating a sustainable alternative to fossil energy.
The initiative, in collaboration with Anheuser-Busch and Enexor BioEnergy, transforms brewing by-products into renewable energy while reducing industrial waste.
The project focuses on spent barley malt, a leftover from the beer-making process that is typically discarded or used as animal feed.
Using a mobile processing unit, INL scientists convert the waste into fermentable sugars, which can then be transformed into biomass fuel.
The mobile technology allows the process to take place on-site at breweries or farms, reducing transportation costs and increasing scalability.
“This approach not only reduces waste from brewing but also contributes to the renewable energy sector,” said a spokesperson from INL.
INL’s Biomass Feedstock National User Facility supports the project by providing expertise in biomass processing and evaluation, ensuring that the converted material meets energy production standards.
Anheuser-Busch, a key partner in the project, plans to integrate the technology into its brewing operations, aiming to cut waste and carbon emissions. Enexor BioEnergy will manage the commercialisation of the resulting biomass fuel, potentially supplying energy to local communities and industrial users.
Idaho lab utilises brewing waste as biomass
