News
Big hog manure to biogas project in Missouri
A $100 million renewable biogas project is underway in north Missouri. Murphy-Brown of Missouri – formerly Premium Standard Farms – has partnered with Roeslein Alternative Energy to capture biogas from hog manure and turn it into Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and (CNG), for use as a transport fuel. Bill Homann with Murphy Brown of Missouri says the project will allow them to extend the use of impermeable lagoon covers to 90 of their hog farms, “Then that will function in the future as a digester and so we’ll have, basically, ninety digesters capturing gas in our finishing facilities in North Missouri.”
Sheldon Ripson with Roeslein Alternative Energy says anaerobic digestion is not new but it is underutilized in the United States and there IS a market for it, “There are a number of semi operators, a number of rail operators, a number of barge operators that are very interested in taking a look at this as an alternative source of energy that can save them money – and a lot of it – and can really be a sustainable source of energy.”
Homann tells Brownfield the project will not only have benefits on the farms it will have additional benefits of odor reduction for Murphy Brown’s neighbors. Ripson tells Brownfield this is a pilot project with great potential and that his company is also working to use prairie grass as a biomass to further the production of the fuel.
Interview with Bill Homann and Sheldon Ripson in Brownfield Ag News Studios (15:00 mp3)
I don’t understand why this issue is getting so much coverage, when I was an under graduate… the research station was making methane from the hog manure from the research station and was used in the equipment. University of Manitoba / Winnipeg Manitoba Canada