Japanese company to convert cow waste into rocket fuel

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – A Japanese chemical manufacturing company has planned to produce liquid biomethane from cow waste, presenting a novel solution to the disposal quandaries faced by dairy farmers.

The company, Air Water Inc., said on Monday that it plans to initiate experimental trials during the upcoming fall season, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The resulting liquid biomethane will find its way into a rocket manufactured by the Japanese space startup firm, Interstellar Technologies, headquartered on Hokkaido, Japan's northern island.

Air Water has been actively engaged in the production of liquid biomethane on Hokkaido Island since 2021.

This innovative process involves the fermentation of dung and urine at a specialized plant situated on a dairy farm in the town of Taiki.

Subsequently, the biogas generated at the plant is transported to a factory located in Obihiro.

Within the factory, meticulous procedures are employed to separate the methane from the product, followed by a cooling process to transform it into liquid biomethane.

This initiative holds the potential to revolutionize both waste management for dairy farmers and the utilization of renewable fuels in the aerospace sector.