Zoo recycles animal waste for heat and electricity

In Canada, the Toronto Zoo is planning to build a $5.4 million (€3.76 million) biogas power plant on site that will generate power from zoo animal excrement.

The zoo will partner with Toronto-based ZooShare Co-operative to get the project off the ground. ZooShare will then fund the project, as well as design, develop, build and operate the plant, which will be located on land leased from the zoo.

The facility will generate 500kW of biogas a year from food waste and manure and converted into electricity, heat and fertiliser.

It is thought the new plant will reduce CO2 emissions by around 10,000 annually, which is the equivalent to taking more than 1,800 cars off the road.