Electricity created from horse manure in Finland -

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In 2015, the idea of making horse competitions sustainable in Finland emerged. That is why they decided to use horse manure to produce electricity.

The experiment worked, and now, with just two horses, a Finnish family can have energy all year round.

Something that is undoubtedly attracting attention around the world since equestrian competitions could be self-sustainable.

They can also generate resources as important for human beings as electrical energy.

Creating electricity from horse manure

Organizers of the Equestrian Jumping World Cup in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, create electricity from horse excrement.

Their achievement is such that they not only provide energy for the development of the Cup but also to heat the homes of that city.

So the great protagonists of this story are the horses. Something that suits the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) well.

Since this is the organization under which the Equestrian Jumping World Cup is circumscribed.

The process by which they create electricity makes it possible to activate lights, markers and even charging stations. Everything else feeds the energy source of Helsinki’s homes.

In this regard, the International Equestrian Federation hopes to show how sporting events can play a role in supporting sustainability, says the director of the championship, Tom Gordin.

Gordin says they dreamed of “making a cleaner world,” but back then “we had no idea how to start.”

He explains that:

“Then we jumped into a sponsorship and partnership with Fortum, a large international energy company, and they came up with this invention with manure, so it led us to this idea and we built a vision that we would like to be the leading equestrian event in sustainability.”

The Equestrian Show Jumping World Cup brings together the best riders and horses in the world. It is carried out individually and constitutes a high-performance event for athletes in this discipline.

First tests to turn horse manure in electricity

Like any idea or project, it has its testing phase, and in 2017, when they began to test, they realized the high potential in horse excrement.

With 235 horsepower and the 112 tons of manure they produced, that year, experts transformed it into almost 170 megawatts of energy.

This year, 2019, 100 tons of 370 horsepower excrement were used to generate 150 megawatts of energy.

They supplied electricity for the four days of the event and also provided heating to houses in the Finnish capital.

Fortum HorsePower

This system with which they create electricity from horse excrement is developed by the firm Fortum HorsePower.

“The manure-to-energy system has immense potential for countries with large equine populations,” said Fortum HorsePower Vice President Anssi Paalanen.

He argued that it is necessary to resort to innovative and truly imaginative ideas if fuel is to be obtained in a way that does not degrade the planet.

“It is possible to charge a phone with only 0.2 deciliters of horse manure,” said Anssi Paalanen.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos said the initiative is proof that the equestrian community is serious about the environment.

“The manure-to-energy system has shown that ideas for alternative energy solutions can come from the most unexpected places,” De Vos said.

The inhabitants of Finland’s capital are very happy about this initiative and are now even more pleased to host the Jumping World Cup.

Since with the excrement of these horses they obtain electricity.

This project that began in 2017 is consolidated in 2017 and now in the middle of 2019 it has shown that it has great benefits and that is why there are other places in the world where they already want to follow their example.

Similar experiences in Colombia

They say that good things are worthy of imitation and that is why at the Industrial University of Santander (UIS), in Colombia, they are trying.

In other words, they are looking for a way to create fuel from horse excrement.

The fuel that is expected to be produced in this house of studies located in Bucaramanga, is biogas.

Those who carry out this research entitled it: “Production of biogas from equine manure in a tubular reactor”.

Through this project they aspire to improve the quality of life of those who live in rural areas.

“The idea is that it will reduce energy poverty,” the institution said.

He later added:

“And to give added value to what today was considered only a waste to fertilize the land and fertilize crops.”

This statement was issued by the University in a press release and picked up by Colombian media such as El Espectador.

The research in this part of Colombia is led by the Argentine biologist, Alejandra Vega.

The goal of this project is to:

“To provide low-cost technological alternatives that help reduce economic, environmental and energy impacts,” Vega said.

Horse Manure as a source of energy

Who could imagine that a horse’s excrement would serve as a source of energy… But the Fortum HorsePower members figured it out.

But they did not stay only in theory but put it into practice.

Now, in partnership with the organizers of the World Jumping Cup, they have managed to make the horses the main protagonists and promoters of the event.

Their manure is collected and in this way in the 2019 edition of the contest they create electricity for the facilities where the event took place.

They also illuminated the scoreboards and created charging areas where people could charge their cell phones among other mobile devices.

With this invention the famous phrase: horsepower enters a new stage since they will now be more appreciated.

The horse, a surprising animal

Throughout history it has been known that horses have impressive strength, power and speed.

These virtues meant that when automobiles were created, it was said that a car has 4.5 6 horsepower.

But now, with this use of their dung, they become even more valuable animals for humanity.

That is why they must be taken care of in the proper way and respected. Horses are truly amazing animals.

They are capable of running at full speed, with great power and carrying man from one place to another, but they are also a source of electricity.

That makes them a privileged species that must be preserved.

Currently in Finland, a single-family home is powered by the energy created by horse excrement.

And it only takes two of these animals to enjoy electricity service throughout the year.

Which is a huge advantage for the Finns.

Congratulations, these animals continue to be of great benefit to humans. Therefore, we urge the correct care and protection of the equine species.

The data

According to the research carried out in this regard, it was proven that horse manure is a very powerful fuel, as much as wood bark.

In fact, in Helsinki there is already a plant where the manure mixture arrives and where energy and heat are produced for more than 1,000 customers and residents of the area.