It claims the plant is the largest of its kind and will be
ready to produce energy next year.
Roeslein Alternative Energy said the first phase is half
done and it’s on schedule to install impermeable covers and flare systems on 88
manure lagoons at the Smithfield facility in Albany, Mo.
The covers prevent methane gas from entering the atmosphere
and reduce odour plus they keep rain out of the lagoons.
The second phase will involve installing technology to
purify the biogas under the covers and developing a natural gas pipeline
designed to open next year.
The project will process manure from two million pigs and is
supposed to eventually generate about 2.2 million cubic feet of
pipeline-quality natural gas, or the equivalent of 17 million gallons of diesel
fuel annually.
The project also is expected to prevent about 850,000 tons
of methane from reaching the atmosphere.
The developers believe the project has applications for
farms across the United States and for use in developing countries that are
looking for better ways to sustainably manage natural resources and energy
production.
