BioMethane from cow manure could power 1 million cars in the US

Instead of the methane produced by cows being wasted and polluting the atmosphere, it appears than it can be put to good use in powering vehicles.

suscon

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Methane gas derived from dairy manure offers a substitute for natural gas that can power motor vehicles, according to a study released today by a collaboration of energy, dairy and environmental groups. Known as biomethane, the gas is entirely renewable and environmentally friendly, and can be produced locally.

"There are 8.5 million cows in the United States, each producing enough manure to potentially generate about 30 cubic feet of biomethane per day, which could replace significant amounts of natural gas at today's prices," said Allen Dusault, Biofuels Project Manager for Sustainable Conservation. "If used as vehicle fuel, biomethane could power a million cars."

It can also be used for electricity production.

suscon

Manure can also be used to produce renewable energy through the process of anaerobic digestion. Minnesota dairy farmer Dennis Haubenchild reports, "My methane digester is producing enough electricity to run my operation plus another 80 residential homes." If installed on all U.S. dairies, methane digesters could generate enough electricity to power approximately 600,000 homes and provide an additional income stream for dairy farmers. At the same time, the technology reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming, and reduces odors and pathogens.

This is an good use for a previously negative biproduct of the dairy industry that can now help the environment and help farmers by providing them with a new source of income.

I'm no expert on modern farming, but I was under the impression that most of the cattle waste goes into fertalizing grazing lands as well as other agricultural uses.

So here is the problem. You use energy to collect it...you let it decay in a methan collection facility...then you use energy to take it back out to fertalize the fields. Thus in the end you burn almost all the methane just collecting it.

Thats great! I hope that this does actually get put to use, and not just overlooked or bought out by the big oil companies and such. Kinda makes me wonder though... I hope theyre also working on a way to somehow neutralize the smell

I've actually succeeded in converting my car into running on my own methane. It's kind of tricky but requires cutting a hole in the drivers seat and hooking up some...well it's complicated but needless to say I'm getting 80 miles to the pant load so I'm pretty excited about that.

Though nobody want's to ride share with me any more and I do get a lot of stares and questions about the kilt.

SPiderj

Then your piece car would really, in fact, be a piece!

Interesting. Collection and organization, I would think, would pose a problem, but not nearly as much as publci stigma. People don't like to do that sort of thing, simply because it involves feces.

That aside, it's a great idea, and simply a few decades too helpful for us.

It is a commom misinterpretatation that methane causes the smell. Methane is a bi-product of feces, but it is the hydrogen you can smell. so no icky smell. (too much sulphur in a diet causes the eggy kind of fart smell)

though some biomethane comes in cows feces, most methane from the cows is mainly expelled in gas so what would happen next? strapping bags to their behind so we can collect the gas?? when would it end

didn't they use that in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome .... no wait that was pigs ... but i guess it could work