Methane is produced by decomposing trash that can be used to produce electricity or heat. Currently, most landfills do not make enough methane for energy production to make it worthwhile. Therefore, these landfills burn (flare) the methane away. Russell Chinelli, Ph. D., a professor at The University of Texas at El Paso, invented a process that can increase methane production. The process captures and recycles the exhaust gas from generating electricity with landfill methane. It also indicates that this process can be used to cultivate algae. These organisms help produce methane in the landfills. Chianelli said that this is a clean process and nothing goes to waste.
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