Pennwood Farms hosted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on their farm today. The Pa. dairy farm is using an anaerobic digester to convert manure into electricity and high quality bedding, cutting energy costs and providing a resting area for more contented cows. The digester, which went on-line a year ago, was funded in part with the support of USDA Rural Development.
“Using enhanced manure management techniques not only provides a new source of income for famers, it also improves air and water quality while providing renewable electricity for hundreds of homes in the community,” said Vilsack. “It’s a win-win-win.”
Pennwood Farms, which is family-owned, uses an anaerobic digester to produce all of its electricity and sells enough power back to the local grid to meet the needs of an estimated 600 people. The digester also produces clean bedding as a byproduct, which saves the owners from having to buy bedding for the dairy herd. In all, manure from the 570 cow dairy farm creates about 920,000 kWh of electricity a year.
USDA supported deployment of the biodigester by providing grants and loans in 2010 totaling over $528,000 through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Last month, Secretary Vilsack announced funding under REAP for an additional 450 projects nationwide. REAP, authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, offers funds for farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. These federal funds leverage other funding sources for businesses.
Source: USDA