Energy cooperative to use manure as fuel

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2003/04/07/daily15.html

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Dairyland has signed a letter of intent with Microgy Cogeneration Systems Inc., a subsidiary of Environmental Power Corp., to license Microgy's technology for anaerobic digestion, the process used to convert manure to methane gas. Microgy is based in Portsmouth, N.H., and has offices in Thiensville and Golden, Colo.

Initially, the project will begin with 5 megawatts of renewable electricity, with planned growth of up to 25 megawatts in five years, fulfilling the energy needs of approximately 20,000 homes in Dairyland's five-state service area.
Under the plan, a mini power "plant" will be installed at each farm, including a digester tank. The digester will be owned by the farmer, and the generating equipment will be owned by Dairyland. Dairyland will buy the methane fuel created by the waste from the farmer.

"We aim to implement the initial construction phase of waste-to-energy this year," said John McWilliams, Dairyland resource planner. "The first step will be to identify the most likely participants to get the project running. Some participation eligibility factors will include the size of the farm herd and the proximity to distribution infrastructure."

Dairyland provides wholesale electricity to 25 member distribution cooperatives and 20 municipal utilities. Dairyland's service area encompasses 62 counties in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan.

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:blush:

let me rephrase that - hey, republicans could solve the global energy crisis. Is bullshit more effective than other kinds?

this is energy effective and cost effective.

Check out http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=25750&mesg_id=25763

Some farmers in Europe were using manure methane for energy. One was a dairy farm that heated all the hot water needed for cleaning and heating house and barn with coils in manure compost piles. They then took methane off for fuel for generator and vehicles which also generated storable power.
We are so far behind in logical use of energy resource that we have already wasted enough to have heated every home and fueled every vehicle for the next century!
Snip: There is one big pile in Washington DC and a good place to start!

7 million rural Chinese currently use manure biogas.

If the US converted its sewage treatment plants to anaerobic systems, they could power themselves AND sell electricity to the grid AND significantly reduce the amount of sewage sludge produced (that must be disposed of somehow)...