Alternative Fuels

Biodiesel and Protein from Soldier Flies

Manure management continues to be a major concern for livestock producers and others concerned with environmental quality. Poorly handled manure results in odors, pest insects and degraded water quality. Biogas production (methane and other gases) is widely viewed as a better manure management practice that can recover considerable value. UGA entomologists developed a novel system to digest manure with the non-pest black soldier fly and produce valuable products. Manure is reduced to a humus-like material with a 75-80 percent reduction in problematic nutrients while also producing prepupae containing 35 percent oil and 42 percent protein. If the prepupae oil is processed into biodiesel, the energy in this biodiesel is about 67 percent of the energy that could have been collected as biogas from the original manure fed to the soldier fly larvae. In addition to the biodiesel, a significant amount of protein and other valuable products remain after oil extraction. The total value of $8.40 from the soldier fly recovery is considerably more than the biogas value of $4.50. Manure digestion with soldier flies practically eliminates environmental problems and produces significant saleable products. The two soldier fly products mentioned here are valued at 87 percent more than the biogas from the same manure. (2006)

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