Loyd
Bryant used to pump manure from his 8,640 hogs into a fetid lagoon,
where it raised an unholy stink and released methane and ammonia into
the air. The tons of manure excreted daily couldn't be used as
fertilizer because of high nitrogen content. The solution to Bryant's
hog waste problem was right under his nose - in the manure itself.
A
new waste-processing system - essentially a small power plant -
installed on his 154-acre farm uses bacteria to digest the waste and
burns methane to produce electricity. It also converts toxic ammonia
into forms of nitrogen that can be used as fertilizer for more
profitable crops.
Waste-to-energy systems have been around for
at least 15 years. But Duke University, which helped develop and pay for
Bryant's system, says this one is the cleanest in existence - and
virtually the only one that tackles all of the environmental problems
created by animal waste. The system was built with off-the-shelf parts
and simple design plans that are free for the asking. It's poised to
become the standard for a cleaner waste-to-energy model that brings
together farmers, utilities and private companies in an environmentally
friendly effort. Bryant saves money on electricity and gets a cleaner
farm. Improved air quality in his hog barns also means his pigs will
have lower mortality rates and convert feed more efficiently, fattening
Bryant's profits.
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