Project owners: Anish Chaluvadi, Tristan Spreng, & Timothy Lambden, AlgaeSorb
Methane is 28 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2. The largest emitters of
methane gas are ruminant animals such as cows, agriculture especially rice paddies, and
landfill waste sites. In landfill, the combination of a high temperature and an acidic
environment means that methane-producing bacteria are able to flourish.
Inspired by the successes seen in reducing methane emissions from cows by adding small
amounts of a specific algae to dry cattle feed, the team at AlgaeSorb is working to implement a
similar process for landfill sites.
They are looking at two options, one of using the natural algae, and another at developing an
artificial chemical formulation. The methane-absorbing algae is currently harvested from
natural and tank-based sources in Australia and Portugal, but there are difficulties with
ensuring that it is harvested at the appropriate phase of its life cycle.
The challenge for the i-Team is to investigate what is currently done in Vietnam for methane
abatement from a range of methane emitters. Possible methane emitters include landfill waste
sites, water treatment facilities, and potentially agricultural markets such as rice growers.
What is the regulatory landscape and is there any governmental impetus towards reducing
methane? What are current approaches to managing emissions from landfill sites in Vietnam?
Could the specific algae be sourced locally from the ocean around Vietnam? The answers to
these questions will help AlgaeSorb determine whether it would be viable for them to address
the Vietnamese market, and if so, what route they should take to do so.