Farm-Based Methane Management Key to 25x’25 Initiatives

Key to the 25x’25 renewable energy and carbon initiatives is the developing technology that is advancing anaerobic digestion. The process captures methane that is generated when biomass, usually animal waste, is broken down anaerobically, or without the presence of oxygen. The methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), is often run through a generator to produce electricity. Methane digesters implemented on livestock operations to manage manure create a renewable source of electricity that can be used to help power the operation and, in some cases, sell electricity back to the grid. Digesters are also a proven way to reduce GHG emissions, which can provide offsets that could generate a significant revenue stream for the operation in a cap-and-trade climate change regulatory system.

While EPA estimates there were 111 commercial livestock digesters operating in 2007, the potential for anaerobic digesters to provide financial and environmental benefits to U.S. farms has prompted acceleration in the construction of digesters in recent years.

Successful examples are promoting that acceleration. The Crave Brothers Dairy Farm, a Waterloo. WI, is an operation that includes a regionally renowned cheese-making enterprise and runs a computer-controlled anaerobic digestion system that generates enough electricity to power the farm, cheese factory and 120 area homes. The Twin Birch Dairy is a 1,200-cow operation in Skaneateles, NY, where anaerobic digestion technology on the farm prompted the EPA in 2008 to selected Twin Birch as the northeast U.S. dairy to kick off the agency’s multi-year, manure and air quality study.

Continue Reading