Farts and whiskey

Image via WikipediaThe Carbon Footprint of Whisky, and How to Reduce It

Liquor can have a negative impact on more than just your health, the massive waste problem of tequila being a prime case in point. Whisky-making too can be a pretty energy-intensive and wasteful process, but steps are being taken to address this. We've already seen some researchers developing biofuels from the byproducts of whisky making. Now the Independent newspaper visits a distillery making electricity from its own waste, and running a battery-powered car on the end product. And it's all thanks to the magic of anaerobic digestion or, as company owner Mark Reynier describes it, fart power:

As Reynier delicately puts it: "Our farting microbes are farting methane to power our generator which in turn feeds into the distillery's electrical distribution network."
Reynier, who now runs his Nissan Leaf electric car off the system, says the system provides 100 per cent of the distillery's power.

Visit the distillery (Bruchladdish) on Facebook. Better yet, support them by going to the liquor store, buying and then enjoying a shot or three.