Nebraska Feedlot Turns Manure into Renewable Natural Gas

A new project in Broken Bow, Nebraska is seeking to turn cattle manure into a source of sustainable natural gas for energy production and shipping fuel. The initiative just broke ground at Adams Land & Cattle's feedlot, where eight anaerobic digesters will process waste from the facility into approximately 1.2 million MMBtu of pipeline-quality natural gas per year.

According to Michael Bakas, CEO of Neogenyx Fuels, which owns the Nebraska facility, 'The Adams Land & Cattle RNG facility demonstrates how American agriculture can play an important role in the future of renewable fuels.'

The project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 63,700 metric tons annually once it reaches full capacity. This is significant because biogas projects are generally rated with a carbon intensity value of -250, as they remove methane from the atmosphere.

However, not everyone is convinced that this technology is beneficial. Some environmentalists argue that incentivizing biodigestion through carbon credits could lead to consolidation and increased emissions in the long run.