Kent State has partnered with InSinkErator® through the implementation of Grind2Energy®, an organics recovery process that converts food waste to renewable energy. This forward-thinking approach allows us to significantly decrease our impact on the environment while creating renewable energy for the communities we serve.
According to Grind2Energy, the process efficiently captures food scraps on site, and it is hauled away to an anaerobic digestion facility where it is turned into renewable energy such as electricity, compressed natural gas, and nutrient-rich soil amendment that is all returned back into the local community. The non-sewer system consists of a processing table and a holding tank that is safe and easy to operate. The scraps are processed through the grinder and travel through to a sealed holding tank. Having the scraps nicely contained within the tank allows the university to avoid odors which could attract critters, compared to a potential compost system. Kent State has been looking for ways to divert food waste away from landfill, and the Grind2Energy process is a great first step to accomplishing this objective by being a cleaner and cost-effective alternative. With the DI HUB being a new dining facility and building at Kent State, this provided the perfect opportunity to install this process on campus.
When a pickup is scheduled, a company called Quasar will come and pump the food scraps-turned-slurry out of the contained tank and take it to their facility for anaerobic digestion. The anaerobic digestors breakdown organisms in a closed tank without oxygen. The tanks generate methane gas, which is burned in internal combustion engines to generate energy production
Quasar, anaerobic digestors. Breakdown of organisms in a closed tank without oxygen. The tanks generate methane gas, which is burned in internal combustion engines to generate electricity. The remaining biosolids become nutrient-rich fertilizer. For more information on this process, visit Grind2Energy’s website, or check out our most recent sustainability report that tracks the Grind2Energy system here at Kent State.