Minnesota Digester: Key To Clean Air, Stronger Economy?
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June 27, 2008
Brooten, MN – It's a textbook case of taking an unwanted farm byproduct and turning it into something useful. The public is invited to tour Minnesota's first-of-its-kind "methane digester" today on a small farm in Stearns County. Supporters tout the technology as able to improve the environment and help local economies.
Stearns County dairy farmer Jerry Jennissen says his machine can help clear the air as well as provide a new source of renewable energy.
"A methane digester takes manure from a cow and, through heat and bacteria, creates gas, which then we are able to burn. It eliminates the greenhouse gases and creates energy."
Jennissen says the process will benefit both his farm income and the community at large.
"First of all, it has the potential to add a significant revenue stream to my operation. It also reduces greenhouse gases, because we're collecting methane that would have been released to the atmosphere and are burning it off instead. In fact, we're nearly eliminating the greenhouse gases emitted from manure."
Amanda Bilek, with the Minnesota Project, supports the technology and is helping promote today's field demonstration. She agrees the benefits are economic as well as environmental.
"My organization sees digesters as a valuable technology for Minnesota farms, which could create dispersed renewable electricity generation across the countryside. Also, they add value to our livestock operations. Finally, they are able to alleviate some pollution problems associated with livestock farming."
Supporters add that this new technology needs investments from state and federal sources to make it cost-effective for small farms and encourage farmers to put it to use.
Public tours today run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details and directions are available online at www.mnproject.org.