RENEWABLE BIOMASS
Spineless opuntia cactus is a carbon-negative, fossil fuel alternative energy feedstock.
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The flattened stems (known as cladodes) are harvested and put in to an anerobic digester. Anerobic bacteria digest the cactus and produce raw biogas which is a combination of CO2 and Methane. The biogas is captured and can be converted to electricity, upgraded to pipeline quality natural gas, or converted to other forms of biofuel.
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When compared to other forms of renewable energy such as solar, wind, or geothermal, the outputs are lower. However, growing cactus at scale has a much lower environmental impact because it does not rely on carbon-intensive inputs such as concrete, steel, photovoltaic cells, etc.
Opuntia biomass production can also be co-located with existing renewable energy projects. Co-location with wind farms is of particular benefit in regard to maximizing the productivity of land committed to the project and reducing environmental impacts.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Yes, opuntia can be easily and reliably co-digested with other feedstocks. There is robust data which shows that adding opuntia as a feedstock increases biogas yields.
FERMENTATION SUBSTRATES
Opuntia cactus is a viable fermentable substrate which serves as a source of simple polysaccharides to a wide variety of microorganisms used to produce everything from alternative proteins to hydrocarbons. When compared to other sugar sources, opuntia is a sustainable and economic option.
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An output of biogas production is digestate which is comprised of the leftover organic remnants of anerobic digestion. Digestate can be used as an organic biofertilizer, or used to produce paper pulp.
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Opuntia contains a viscous mucilage which can be used as a substrate for edible biofilms, plastic alternatives, and other versatile biomaterials.
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Yes, there has been an exponential increase in research and design initiatives focused on valorizing opuntia. This includes volatile fatty acids (VFAs), oils, pharmaceuticals, and many other applications.
BIOMATERIALS
Opuntia cactus is the substrate for a diverse range of biomaterials that includes raw structural materials, renewable paper pulp, vegan leather, biofertilizer, and edible biofilm. Many of these innovations are byproducts of the biogas production which contributes to the circular economics of Loop’s offering.
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An output of biogas production is digestate which is comprised of the leftover organic remnants of anerobic digestion. Digestate can be used as an organic biofertilizer, or used to produce paper pulp.
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Opuntia contains a viscous mucilage which can be used as a substrate for edible biofilms, plastic alternatives, and other versatile biomaterials.
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Yes, there has been an exponential increase in research and design initiatives focused on valorizing opuntia. This includes volatile fatty acids (VFAs), oils, pharmaceuticals, and many other applications.
SUSTAINABLE FEED
Spineless opuntia is uniquely adapted to semi-arid or drought prone environments. The plant’s rapid growth rate, nutritional content, and minimal input requirements make it a viable option for supplementing or replacing traditional, uneconomical forage crops.
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Opuntia is a perennial plant which means once it is planted, it can be harvested 365 days a year. A single opuntia plant has a productive lifespan of 15-25 years. The fact that it is a perennial crop means that it is a key contributor to regenerating soils, biologically sequestering carbon, and improving biodiversity.
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Opuntia is approximately 10x more water efficient than conventional livestock feed crops.
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The nutritional and mineral composition of opuntia makes it an ideal forage crop for ruminant digestion.