biomass, energy from an unlikely source

Biomass, truly an overlooked source of energy, is finally comming of age. Although most people are familiar with the most common use of that thing that sounds like a bell, fertilizer, few are aware that this lowly substance also holds the potential to provide the energy to power our cities and homes. Using "digesters", cities like Portland Oregon are converting animal wastes (human in Portland's case) into power via the by-products (combustable gas) of micro-organisms. Wisconsin currently purchases approximately 29 megawatts (enough to power more than 10,000 homes) of biomass generated electricity from three large municipal landfills (owned and operated by Waste Management, Inc.) in southeastern Wisconsin. They also purchase nearly one megawatt of electricity generated from the state's first agricultural waste bio-gas digester facility, owned and operated by Ag Environmental Solutions, LLC, at the Tinedale Farms¹ of Wrightstown, Wisconsin. Wisconsin has contracted to purchase 200 kilowatts of electricity from the Maple Leaf Farms bio-gas digester facility in Franksville, Wisconsin as well. These anaerobic digester systems will extract methane from cow and duck manure and use it to fuel reciprocating engines.

1.Tinedale Farms is comprised of around 1,800 milk cows. As animal waste decomposes, it releases methane gas. A manure digester speeds up this process and captures the methane. The gas is then used to fuel a small power plant. The generating unit at Tinedale Farms produces 750 kilowatts; enough to provide electricity for at least 500 homes.