The Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative Monday released a new report that explores options to increase electricity production using biogas, a renewable fuel produced from manure crops and food waste.
There are 31 operating biogas digesters in Wisconsin and 151 nationwide, according to the report. The digesters convert waste into a gas that can be burned to generate electricity. Beyond being a renewable energy source, converting manure from Wisconsin’s herds into biogas reduces odors, produces ammonium, a primary component in fertilizer, and could improve cleanliness of state waterways, the report stated.
The report points out difficulties in developing biogas facilities in Wisconsin, including the problems of getting private lenders to finance them and the fact that the price of building and operating digesters outweighs the revenue they generate for an individual farmer. The report recommends various ideas to increase construction of biogas digesters, including creating a public-private utility to build them and changing the way owners of the digesters are paid for selling electricity to utilities.
© 2011 American City Business Journals, Inc.
