Glad to see we're doing our part to help the West's energy crisis...  we can 
milk the heck out of this story :-) kd

PGE wants to convert manure to methane

04/03/2001
Associated Press Newswires
Copyright 2001. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon's energy future may be chewing cud in Bernie 
Faber's pasture. 
His 500 cows will provide tons of manure to be converted to methane to 
generate electricity in a pilot project operated by Portland General Electric.
The project is expected to generate about 100 kilowatts of electricity - 
enough for about 65 homes - by July. 
"When you consider how many dairy farms there are in Oregon, this could be a 
significant source of power," said PGE spokesman Mark Fryburg. 
About 89,000 milk cows were reported on state farms in 1999. 
PGE wants to perfect the technology at Faber's Cal-Gon Farm. If the company 
succeeds, small-scale power plants could become commonplace at Oregon dairy 
farms. 
"We would love to be able to engineer and design these things so we could do 
them at smaller and smaller dairies over time," said Jeff Cole, PGE'; biogas 
program manger. 
PGE officials also are interested in developing a 4.5 megawatt, 
methane-powered energy facility in Morrow County that could provide energy 
for about 3,000 homes. It would depend on manure from dairies relocating to 
the area to support a Tillamook County Creamery Association cheese plant. 
The disposal of livestock waste has become an expensive and complex problem 
for farms as environmental regulations tighten. 
A typical dairy cow produces about 150 pounds of waste each day. 
Methane-powered generators, such as PGE's project, reduce the odors 
associated with dairies and create useful byproducts: a nitrogen-rich liquid 
fertilizer and an odorless dry fiber that can be used to make potting soils. 
At Faber's farm, construction of a 28-foot high concrete tank where waste 
will be converted into methane is nearly complete. 
PGE officials compare the tank to a giant stomach, where bacteria in manure 
continues the digestion process and produces flammable methane. 
A modified, internal combustion engine will burn the methane for fuel and 
drive power turbines. After the manure is processed, the leftovers will be 
pumped through a solid separator, taken off site, and composted. 
Liquids will be stored at a lagoon at the dairy.

Copyright , 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.