Biofuel testing shows power of poop

An unusual example of biofuel testing is currently taking place in a Massachusetts park, reports the Associated Press.

Created by artist Matthew Mazzotta, the installation is named Park Spark and combines biofuel testing with sculpture and general eco-awareness.

The art project asks dog-walkers in Pacific Street Park, Cambridge, to deposit any of their pets' excrement into a specially designed tank, with a handle that allows them to stir the contents after they have done so.

With the contents agitated, microbes are able to digest the matter and release methane.

This in turn is fed into a second tank through black piping which connects the two golden-yellow containers.

Here, the gas is burned and used to light an old-fashioned lamp, demonstrating the energy that can be retrieved from dog waste.

Cambridge City Council is currently working towards a green agenda including recommendations for eco-conscious jobs, an environmentally aware zoning strategy and the planting of 500 trees per year in the city.