A Missouri project, believed to be one of the largest and most comprehensive livestock manure-to-energy projects of its type is currently underway. The project efficiently treats waste from approximately 2 million hogs.
Covers over swine lagoons capture and channel valuable gasses that are by-products of the wastewater treatment facilities on the farms. The collected gas is sent to equipment for scrubbing and cleaning, and then it is compressed into natural gas. The bio-solids (manure) are broken down to basic elements, making the nutrients easily available to plants in the form of fertilizer.
The benefit of this system is not limited to the creation of natural gas and fertilizer; it also reduces the carbon footprint of the facilities. In addition, the rainwater that falls upon the covers is collected, making it available for irrigation and other uses on the farms. Rainwater capture reduces trucking and overall labor costs of farm operations.