Almost three years ago I posted an article highlighting the many upsides to using biodigesters to break food waste down. In that article, I featured two companies whose machines reduce food waste to a liquid that can be disposed of safely in the sewage system.
There are certain technologies for hospitality that are no brainers because of their fast ROI and effectiveness—LED lighting, guestroom energy management systems, ozone in the laundry, for example. Biodigesters certainly belong in that group.
In my article posted this past week, I take another look at biodigesters. I found a dozen companies currently selling the machines that either reduce food waste to a liquid or dry soil amendment.
Many Sizes Available
Operators of small to very large foodservice operations can benefit from biodigesters given the sizes of machines available. Power Knot, for example, offers nine different LFC biodigester machines—handling from up to 165 pounds per day to up to 13,200 pounds.
Keeping food waste out of the landfill is important. In a landfill, it is buried, where it decomposes anaerobically, meaning in the absence of oxygen. This process produces methane, which is a greenhouse gas 21 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide. According to the EPA, landfills are the third largest human-related source of methane in the United States, accounting for 18 percent of all methane emissions. Landfills are also known for their other negative environmental impacts, including groundwater pollution, odor problems, and immense land use.
Operationally, there are many advantages to biodigesters. Think about the time, money and energy saved from not having to move food waste out of your kitchen. Biodigesters eliminate the odors, flies and rodents associated with food waste sitting in bins and eliminate the space required to store food waste. Biodigesters also reduce the number of injuries from moving the waste. Renting and leasing options make biodigesters more financially viable and they may earn you points toward green hotel certification.
Look for Reporting, Alerting Features
When comparing biodigesters, be sure to look for reporting capabilities. Using the LFC Cloud from Power Knot, for example, one can identify key areas of waste production, accurately forecast inventory demand, make data-informed decisions to achieve environmental directives, create reports to share with stakeholders, optimize the use of the machine to reduce utility costs, and e-mail alerts. Data can be retained for up to five years.
Depending on biodigester size, the purchase price can run from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, but the payback period can be as short as two to three years.
At trade shows, biodigesters are a rare find but the National Restaurant Association Show and NAFEM Show are two shows where you should be successful. Also be sure to look for case studies on the supplier websites. Before acquiring a biodigester, visit a property that has successfully used one for several years. It will be well worth your visit.
If you have experience using a biodigester at your property, I would love to hear about the best practices you have learned. I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Green Lodging Adds Anacove to Product & Service Directory
Green Lodging News has added Anacove to its Green Product & Service Directory in the categories of Energy Management/Guestroom and Toilets/Leak Detection. Founded in 2020 and based in San Diego, Anacove is a leading provider of patented, AI-enabled IoT solutions purpose-built for the hospitality industry. Its suite of smart thermostats, toilet leak detectors, asset tracking tools, and safety alert systems help hotels cut costs across energy, water, and labor—together representing more than $2 billion in annual expenses for U.S. hotels.
The company’s entire portfolio runs natively on the LG Pro:Centric hotel TV platform—potentially turning thousands of LG hotel TVs into powerful, data-driven hubs for energy savings, water leak detection, safety alerts, and real-time asset tracking. To set up an initial consultation, email Shaun Kain at shaun@anacove.com or call (628) 262-2683. Visit www.anacove.com to learn more.
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Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes the Wednesday Green Supplier Spotlight and Thursday Green Suppliers Spotlight. Green Supplier Spotlight features just one vendor and Green Suppliers Spotlight features multiple vendors. Click here for a Green Supplier Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Both e-blasts that reach 19,500 subscribers have been built to generate quick leads. A report is sent a week after each e-blast that includes the number of e-mails sent, number of opens, and number of click-throughs. Contact Glenn Hasek at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com for more information.
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