Turning Organic Waste into Energy and Food: Household-Scale Water–Energy–Food Systems

Seneshaw Tsegaye (), Terence Wise, Gabriel Alford, Peter R. Michael, Mewcha Amha Gebremedhin, Ankit Kumar Singh, Thomas H. Culhane, Osman Karatum and Thomas M. Missimer
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Seneshaw Tsegaye: Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
Terence Wise: Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
Gabriel Alford: Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
Peter R. Michael: Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
Mewcha Amha Gebremedhin: Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
Ankit Kumar Singh: Department of Cooperative Extension, University of Maine, 15 Estabrooke Drive, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Thomas H. Culhane: Patel College of Global Sustainability, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Osman Karatum: Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
Thomas M. Missimer: Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-18

Abstract: Population growth drives increasing energy demands, agricultural production, and organic waste generation. The organic waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and increasing landfill burdens, highlighting the need for novel closed-loop technologies that integrate water, energy, and food resources. Within the context of the Water–energy–food Nexus (WEF), wastewater can be recycled for food production and food waste can be converted into clean energy, both contributing to environmental impact reduction and resource sustainability. A novel household-scale, closed-loop WEF system was designed, installed and operated to manage organic waste while retrieving water for irrigation, nutrients for plant growth, and biogas for energy generation. The system included a biodigester for energy production, a sand filter system to regulate nutrient levels in the effluent, and a hydroponic setup for growing food crops using the nutrient-rich effluent. These components are operated with a daily batch feeder coupled with automated sensors to monitor effluent flow from the biodigester, sand filter system, and the feeder to the hydroponic system. This novel system was operated continuously for two months using typical household waste composition. Controlled experimental tests were conducted weekly to measure the nutrient content of the effluent at four locations and to analyze the composition of biogas. Gas chromatography was used to analyze biogas composition, while test strips and In-Situ Aqua Troll Multi-Parameter Water Quality Sonde were employed for water quality measurements during the experimental study. Experimental results showed that the system consistently produced biogas with 76.7% (±5.2%) methane, while effluent analysis confirmed its potential as a nutrient source with average concentrations of phosphate (20 mg/L), nitrate (26 mg/L), and nitrite (5 mg/L). These nutrient values indicate suitability for hydroponic crop growth and reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizers. This novel system represents a significant step toward integrating waste management, energy production, and food cultivation at the source, in this case, the household.

Keywords: renewable energy; hydroponics; methane gas; biodigester; sustainable food management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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