Scientists invent machine that turns urine into beer. Here’s how it works

Belgian scientists have invented a machine that purifies urine into drinkable water, which can then be used to brew beer.

The team of scientists at Ghent University say their device which uses solar energy, could be applied in rural areas and developing countries, Dailymail.co.uk reported.

“We’re able to recover fertilizer and drinking water from urine using just a simple process and solar energy,” Dailymail.co.uk quoted Dr Sebastiaan Derese to have said.

Using the slogan #peeforscience, recently the scientists deployed the machine at a 10-day music and theatre festival in central Ghent. They managed to recover 1,000 litres of water from the urine of revellers which will be used to make beer.

Dr Derese said: “We call it from sewer to brewer.”

The machine uses a solar-powered boiler to heat the urine collected in a large tank. The heated urine is then passed through a membrane separating the water from nutrients, including potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Fertilisers can then be made using the collected nutrients.

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