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Anaerobic Digesters and Other Biomass Options
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 Anaerobic digesters convert biomass material into energy. Digesters have both environmental and economic benefits — reducing odors from livestock manure, preventing the release of greenhouses gases, producing energy and heat, and reducing labor costs associated with manure removal.
Biomass energy can also be generated from the direct combustion or gasification of agricultural products and forest waste material. The most primitive form of biomass energy production is burning organic material in open fires. Better efficiency is available through modern wood and pellet stoves. The term "co-firing" refers to the practice of burning biomass material along with coal in a coal-fired electricity-generating power plant. Biomass material can also be gasified and turned into various fuels.
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ATTRA Publications
Digester and Bioenergy Publications & Links
Is an Anaerobic Digester right for my farm?
Where can I find General Resources on Anaerobic Digesters?
What about Other Types of Bioenergy?
Are there General Bioenergy Resources?
Are there Success Stories?
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ's
Glossary of anaerobic digester and bioenergy terms
Anaerobic Digesters for the Farm
Market Opportunities for Biogas Recovery Systems
This guide from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identifies states with the greatest opportunity to cost effectively install and operate biogas recovery systems using dairy and swine manure. [PDF / 256K]
Dairy Waste Anaerobic Digestion Handbook
From the Environmental Energy Company, this 57 page report addresses anaerobic digestion options specific to dairy operations. [PDF / 1.13M]
Managing Manure with Biogas Recovery Systems: Improved Performance at Competitive Costs
This brochure provides background information about anaerobic digestion, and explains how the methane produced from this process can be captured and used to generate heat, hot water, and electricity. It also includes information for dairy and swine farmers to help them determine if a biogas recovery system is right for their farm and describes the environmental benefits of anaerobic digestion systems and provides a table that compares the cost and environmental effectiveness of conventional animal waste systems to anaerobic digester systems. [PDF / 4.3 MB]
Lesson 25: Manure Treatment Options
This Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship (LPES) Curriculum introduces the basic principles of manure treatment to help you identify desired outcomes and select alternative technologies to accomplish manure management goals.
Methane Recovery from Animal Manures: The Current Opportunities Casebook
A 150 page report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that covers the history, economic evaluation, case studies, and installer contacts for anaerobic digesters. [PDF / 2.7M]
The Economics and Feasibility of Electricity Generation Using Manure Digesters on Small and Mid-size Dairy Farms
A 21 page report from the University of Wisconsin, Madison that addresses the economics of anaerobic digesters/generators. [PDF / 256K]
Turning Manure Into Gold: Converting Agricultural Waste to Energy
A 48 page report prepared by the Midwest Energy Research Center that includes case studies, permit and approval guidance, a list of consultants, and equipment manufacturers. [PDF / 276K]
New Digester Opportunities-Studying Digester Feasibility for Mid-sized Dairy Farms
This 37 page report prepared by the Minnesota Project looks at digester systems for mid-sized dairy farms.
AgSTAR Digest
Archived issues on digesters from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
General Resources on Anaerobic Digesters
The AgSTAR Program
The Federal AgSTAR program encourages the use of methane recovery (biogas) technologies at confined animal feeding operations that manage manure as liquids or slurries.
Animal Manure Management
The Heartland Regional Water Quality Initiative covers Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska (EPA Region 7). This Alternative Technologies website provides animal manure management options from this region as well as others from across the nation.
Midwest Rural Energy Council
A membership organization with Land Grant Universities in the upper Midwest, MREC's mission is to support outreach, education, and research on rural energy issues.
eXtension
A national resource on agriculture and energy, eXtension provides an overview of manure treatment options and recommendations along with valuable resources on each option.
The Minnesota Project
Provides good resources on farm application of biogas and methane digesters.
University of Nebraska: Manure Matters Website
Includes monthly newsletter archives, livestock odor, a emissions modeling database, and links to other related resources. [PDF / 180KB]
Other Types of Bioenergy
Growing Energy on the Farm: Biomass Energy and Agriculture
A fact sheet from the Union of Concerned Scientists that outlines how biomass could provide as much as $20 billion in new income for farmers and rural communities and reduce global warming emissions by the same amount as taking 70 million cars off the road. [PDF / 504K]
Biopower for Farmers and Ranchers
This website focuses on the application of biomass power for agricultural producers with good resources on small modular systems and financial resources.
Renewable Energy Policy Project: Bioenergy
A comprehensive information source for bioenergy including biomass types, ways to generate electricity, costs of bioenergy, and current policies.
General Bioenergy Resources
How Biomass Energy Works
This article by the Union of Concerned Scientists details the types, production methods, and applications of biomass energy.
The BioenergyWiki
This webpage serves as an open and balanced electronic forum to promote the utilization of bioenergy in a sustainable manner. It advances understanding of relevant issues and facilitates sharing of information, views, and experience.
USDA Bioenergy and Energy Alternatives
Seeks to create jobs and economic activity in America, reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, and improve the environment by developing alternate energy sources and increasing the use of agricultural crops as feedstocks for biofuels.
The Carbohydrate Economy Clearinghouse
This website, produced by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, offers information on biomass and biofuel technologies, and other aspects of the "carbohydrate economy."
Treepower
This website by the Common Purpose Institute provides information on a variety of biomass energy sources.
Sun Grant Initiative
A national network of land-grant universities and U.S. Department of Energy laboratories, the Sun Grant Initiative is devoted to building a bio-based economy.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL): Biomass Energy
NREL supports research and development efforts on biomass energy technologies. This website offers information on recent biomass energy initiatives at the laboratory.
Success Stories
Minnesota Dairy Uses Anaerobic Digester for Farm Power
Vermont Farm Converts Manure into Energy
Iowa Dairy Operation Profits from Anaerobic Digester [PDF / 76K]
Jennissen Dairy Farm
Small-scale anaerobic digesters in Northern Ireland
FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
Try these frequently asked questions about Anaerobic Digesters (AD's).
Glossary of Terms
Glossary of Anaerobic Digester terms from MDA.
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Last Updated July 22, 2009
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