March 25
A new cow waste-to-energy plant in Jerome, Idaho, is now creating 1 million kilowatt hours of electricity each month.
Waste from some 6,000 cows at the Bettencourt Dairy B6 farm is being converted into energy through an anaerobic digester built and operated by Cargill Inc.
"We look to environmental innovation as a way to preserve and protect the environment," said Jay Ritzen, managing director, Cargill Environmental Finance. "That includes using energy and resources more wisely in our own operations and helping our customers´ shrink their environmental footprints."
Electricity created by the project -- enough for about 1,100 homes -- is sold to the local power grid.
This is the second anaerobic digester built by Cargill in the area. The first has been operating since 2008 at a nearby 10,000 cow dairy farm. A third project will be built at a 5,500-cow dairy in nearby Idaho Falls, the company said.
Contact Waste & Recycling News senior reporter Jim Johnson at 937-964-1289 or jpjohnson@crain.com
w w w . w a s t e r e c y c l i n g n e w s . c o m
copyright 2010 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved.