Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-x4r87 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T17:32:06.604Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Economics of Producing Methane Gas from Cow Manure to Generate On-Farm Electricity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2017

George A. Stevens
Affiliation:
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
Herbert L. Brodie
Affiliation:
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
Get access

Abstract

This study examines the economic feasibility of substituting electricity generated on dairy farms by methane gas systems for electricity purchased from local utility companies. Electric power is an important input in the operation of a dairy farm. The central question was which source of this input was the cheaper? Herd sizes included in the study were 50, 100, 200 and 300 cows. The cost of methane generated electricity is compared with the cost of purchased electricity. Results are presented by size of dairy herd.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Jewell, W. J., et al. “Earchen-Supported Plug Flow Reactor for Dairy Applications,” Proceedings from the Methane Technology for Agriculture Conference, NRAES-13, Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, Ithaca, New York, 1981.Google Scholar
Jones, Don D., et al. “Methane Generation From Livestock Waste,” Cooperative Extension Service, AE 105, Purdue University.Google Scholar
Koelsh, R., and Walker, L. P.Matching Dairy Farm Energy Use and Biogas Production,” pp. 2850, Proceedings from the Methane Technology for Agriculture Conference, NRAES-13, Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, Ithaca, New York, 1981.Google Scholar
Persson, S.P.E., et al. Agricultural Anaerobic Digesters. The Pennsylvania State University, Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 827, November 1979.Google Scholar
Shea, Paul. “Conservation of Electricity in Dairy Barns,” ASAE paper #76-3539, ASAE, St. Joseph, MO, 1976.Google Scholar
Stephenson, John. The Dairy Farm Energy Book, The Extension Service, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 1981.Google Scholar