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Fertile field for energy

Unlike previous generations of manure digesters, a new system can process waste in a swift pass-through, alleviating some of the problems of older systems such as heavy sedimentation and festering lagoons. Byproducts include compost and methane gas, which can be burned to produce electricity.

150 pounds: Manure from each dairy cow daily   8.9 kilowatt-hours: Electricity produced daily, per cow

Fertile field for energy
The uses

Transformation

Waste circulates through bunker-like chambers and is converted to methane. The methane fuels combustion generators to produce electricity.

Collection

Manure is collected and fed into the digester.

Processing

The process uses an anaerobic digester system in which organic matter is decomposed by microbes in the absence of air.

The uses

The process yields electricity or natural gas, plus fertilizer byproducts.