HUIZI YANGLV
Monash University
Gitanjali Bedi
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With the increase of awareness of food security and environmental protection, traditional farms based on chemical fertiliser are facing huge challenges. Even if eco-agriculture has been coming up, small farms in developing countries are unable to afford to build one and they also have a lack of knowledge to manage it. Xiaotangshan Farm in Beijing developed the methane tank to deal with these problems with cheap cost and high efficiency.
Xiaotangshan Farm built the methane tank to provide farmers with fuel for cooking and lighting. Additionally, biogas slurry can be used as fertiliser to grow crops. The methane tank is located next to the pigsty to collect excrement from animals instantly. This excrement will be decomposed by bacteria as single-structure chemical compound under the appropriate conditions. The temperature of it can be controlled by collected solar power. After that, methane bacteria can accelerate the synthesising of the methane. The methane is a kind of inflammable gas that can be used as power supplier. Overall it is not only environment-friendly but also beneficial to the quantities and quality of crops.
A farm can be self-supporting and self-sufficient which is the inspiration that I gain from the innovation. Animals' excrement can be fermented as the fertiliser for crops and it can also be transferred as inflammable gas to supply the power for farmers. It can be seen as a small ecosystem to operate a farm.
The usage of the methane tank is advantageous to improve the countryside environment due to the reduction of bacteria spread and the increase of farmers’ income. It is also a good approach to replace the traditional energy with the clean one and decrease the cost. The CEO of Xiaotangshan Farm, Ling, told me that the life of a methane tank usually can last more than 20 years, therefore it can be adopted in a long-term planning. Additionally less pesticide will be used and less pollution caused by it will be discharged.
Due to the methane tank, the cost of energy has been decreased from 12,000 RMB per year to 5,000 RMB based on the sustainable development report. In addition, the output of crops has slightly increased and sales exceed the total for the year before last due to eco-food promotion and the good reputation of this farm. Ling explained that more people attach importance to food security and abandon crops with possible pesticide residue, therefore eco-food has been popular recently. The total revenue also has been rising for two years from around 200 thousand to 250 thousand per year.
The efficient usage of excrement and new energy can efficiently cut down the pollution caused by carbon dioxide. To some extent, it is beneficial to keep down the greenhouse effects. It is also good for health and well-being because of less opportunities of bacterial infection and improved working environment without bad smell. The methane as an affordable and clean energy also corresponds with rule seven of the UN sustainable developments goals. Additionally this farm also take actions to combat climate change and its impacts.
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Chunling Cheng, CEO
