Cow manure powers dairy farm
The Grand Rapids Press, January 24, 2008

"RAVENNA TOWNSHIP -- More than half of the den Dulk Dairy Farm's power
needs will come from cow manure.

A $2.7 million biodigester plant has been converting 30,000 gallons of
daily cow waste into 30 kilowatts of electricity since Jan. 16 and about
45 kilowatts of thermal energy the past few weeks. Another generator,
producing an additional 80 kilowatts, should go online within a month.

A $1 million Michigan Public Service Commission grant helped build the
plant, most of which was paid by the den Dulk Dairy Farm. The commercial
operation, which is owned by Tim den Dulk, has about 3,000 cows.

Standing on less than an acre, the 48-foot diameter and 47-foot-tall
plant is expected to generate about 50 to 60 percent of den Dulk Farm's
electricity needs.

The manure is kept in the tank at about 98.6 degrees for about 21 days,
with the byproduct separated into liquid and solid forms after most of
the methane and pathogens have been extracted.

The microturbine, which produces electricity, and the boiler, which
produces thermal energy, are both powered by the biogas (comprised of 60
percent methane) produced.

http://www.mlive.com/business/grpress/index.ssf?/base/business-5/1201186083240530.xml&coll=6

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Dr. Ann C. Wilkie                          Tel: (352)392-8699
Soil and Water Science Department          Fax: (352)392-7008
University of Florida-IFAS
P.O. Box 110960                         E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Gainesville, FL 32611-0960
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Campus location: Environmental Microbiology Laboratory (Bldg. 246).
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BioEnergy and Sustainable Technology Society
http://grove.ufl.edu/~bests/

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