Crematorium to Use Burning Corpses to Create Energy

Many industries are seeking out alternative energies to help cut costs and emissions, and crematoriums are no different. According to The Telegraph, crematoriums are required by U.K. regulatory agencies to cut emissions in half by next year, nixing them all together by 2020.

One crematorium is dead set on making the most of the resources available to it to achieve these emission-cutting requirements -- literally. The Durham Crematorium wants use the heat generated by burning corpses to spin turbines and create enough electricity to power 1,500 televisions per cremation process, according to the Telegraph. And it isn't the first crematorium to take on this efficiency endeavor. The Telegraph reports that other crematoria already have systems in place to generate energy for heating the building, offices and, it states in one case, a swimming pool at a sports center.

The Telegraph states that the project will take place in two phases:

The first phase, due to be completed early next year, will see a "heat recovery system" fitted to one burner to provide heating for the building.

A second phase is planned which then see the installation of turbines on the other two burners to generate electricity. A series of open days are planned, in an effort to get public support for the scheme.

The crematorium's superintendent, Alan José, is reported as saying the building will probably have energy to spare that they will contribute to "the grid":

"Apart from it being common sense for us to try to conserve energy, it also enables us to keep the fees down."

José does point out that the crematorium doesn't want to be labeled as a power plant though, already turning down the idea of solar panels.

The Telegraph reports that in the U.K., 75 percent of the dead are cremated, and Durham Crematorium estimates they have more than 2,000 services a year. With this opportunity for savings, John Troyer from Bath University's Centre for Death and Society (CDAS) is reported as saying the process will probably continue to gain popularity, but it is important to take time implementing so as not to seem "too glib, insensitive or utilitarian."

[H/T Treehugger]