1. Integrated Manure Biogas Systems: Impacts on Farmers & Their Rural Communities Bruce T. Bowman Expert Committee on Manure Management Canadian Agri-Food Research Council Presented to: Enhancing Biogas Opportunities in Alberta Edmonton, AB April 3, 2006

2. Objective 1 To identify and discuss links between:
Environmental issues,
Economic issues, and
Societal issues …..
…. challenging livestock farming that can be mediated by manure processing (e.g. treating the entire manure volume)

3. Rural Society Benefits
Objective 2
To demonstrate the central role of manure processing & farm bio-energy systems for revitalizing rural economies
- GHG’s
- Odours - Pathogens
- Deadstock
Environmental
Remediation
Nutrient Issues
- Conservation
- Recycling
- Nutrient availability
A.D. Manure Processing
Biogas
Farm
Economic Benefits
Farm Bio-Industries
Rural Society Benefits

4. Priority Issues for Manure Management
Three primary issues to manage:
Nutrients
Odours
Pathogens
but also …….
Large water volumes
Carbon (O.M.) - new use
Energy = $$$
Soil Quality

5. Conserving Nutrients: Gaseous Nitrogen losses from Manure
Two major loss pathways:
As volatile ammonia (NH3)
Rapid losses can occur at any stage of handling with continued exposure to air.
As nitrous oxide (N2O) (GHG – 310x effect of CO2)
More prevalent under reducing/denitrifying conditions.

6. Conserving Nutrients: Ammonia losses from Manure
Ammonium (NH4+) - non-volatile; Ammonia (NH3) - volatile
pH [NH3] / [NH4+] = (50.0%) @(20°C) pH 7.5   [NH3] / [NH4+] = ( 1.8%) pH 7.0   [NH3] / [NH4+] = ( 0.56%) Keep pH near 7 (neutrality) to minimize NH3 losses
Ammonia losses are rapid from bare floors; Remove manure when fresh to closed storage to minimize NH3 losses.

7. Conserving Nutrients: Ammonia losses from Manure
Why should we minimize these losses?
Increasing replacement costs for commercial N = $$$ - Urea production  energy intensive + GHG emissions
Ammonia emissions receiving more scrutiny from both animal and human health perspectives (smog potential – aerosols - lower Fraser Valley in BC)
Ammonia - a toxic substance under CEPA (Canadian Environmental Protection Act)
Secondary source for nitrous oxide (N2O) production.

8. Trends in the Fertilizer Industry -- Post WWII (1945) --
Cheap & plentiful mineral fertilizers helped spur intensification and specialization in production agriculture after 1945.
Cereal production (cash-cropping) is often separate from livestock production, relying only on mineral fertilizers.
Has created some regional nutrient surpluses (Quebec, North Carolina, mid-west USA).
Consequence: Nutrients in livestock manures originating from imported feeds - not recycled back to source for next cash-crop production cycle.

9. LARGE SCALE ONE-WAY NUTRIENT FLOWS
Recycling Nutrients & Organic Matter
Nutrient inputs
Food
Products
Human
Consumption
Cereal Production
Local Farm
Manure
Odour Pathogens
Wastes
Landfills
Annual
Mineral
Fertilizer
Additions
Nutrients & O.M. NOT recycled
Regional nutrient excesses

10. Exporting Surplus Livestock Nutrients
The need to export surplus nutrients will increase with continuing intensification of livestock operations.
Conditions for exporting surplus manure nutrients:
Odour-free
Pathogen-free
Dried (dewatered) for transportation
Manure processing (anaerobic digestion) can remediate these issues. Composting also… BUT without renewable energy component.

11. Anaerobic Digestion A Few Facts
Mimicking fermentation in a ruminant stomach (no oxygen). (most digesters are mesophylic ~ 37°C – body temp.)
Closed system – no nutrient or gaseous losses (e.g. N)
closer N:P ratio than with raw manure – better for crop growth
~ 50% of carbon  biogas (CH4 + CO2, 65:35, tr. H2S)
Labile fraction of carbon  biogas (easily converted in soil)
Biogas  generate electricity by co-gen units or for thermal uses
Digested nutrients in more plant available, predictable form
~ 25% C blown off conventional slurries by bacterial decomposition

12. Anaerobic Digestion …….. More Facts
Certain antibiotics can STOP digestion processes
Processing Time: 20 – 35 37°C
Odour Reduction: ~ 90% or more
Pathogens Reduced to: ~ 1/1000 to 1/10,000 (37°C)
Eliminate pathogens of concern by pasteurizing 70°C)

13. Why Digest Manure? Potential Benefits
Environmental
Reduce odours & pathogens - flexibility to export surplus nutrients
Conserve nutrients (N) - reduce mineral fertilizer use
Reduce gaseous emissions - GHGs, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide
Economics
Renewable energy generation - energy independence
Export surplus Livestock nutrients
Emission reduction trading credits
Tipping fees – food-grade wastes – 30% energy boost
Societal
Reduce siting / zoning problems Regain public support
Opportunity for new rural partnerships

14. Balancing Issues in a Sustainable Farming Operation
1. Yield/Productivity (Economics) 2. Environmental Issues
Both are science-based
Pre-1965  1-D
Yield / Productivity
Since 1970s  2-D
Societal Concerns
Environmental Issues
3. Societal Concerns
Perception-based, emotional
Can over-ride other 2 factors.
Opposition difficult to reverse once initiated
Since 1990s  3-D

15. Challenges Facing Confined Livestock Operations
Energy
Environment / Health
Economics
Increasing price volatility (S.E. Asia demand)
Less reliable supplies (Declining fossil reserves)
Result  Escalating N fertilizer & fuel costs
Increasing regulations – nutrients, pathogens
Municipal waste issues (biosolids)
Rendering / deadstock – limited uses/value
GHG emission reductions – Kyoto protocol
Increasing livestock intensities – odour
Continuing vulnerability of farm incomes
Increasing costs of compliance
Global market competition

16. Co-Digestion of Livestock Manures
Co-mingling of different manure sources (on-farm, off-farm) and / or the addition of other organic wastes to the on-farm manure stream. Purpose  increase digester efficiency. – Safest option: food-grade wastes (beverage wastes, cooking oils, vegetable wastes, etc.)
Benefits
Increases biogas output at minimal cost (20 – 30%)
Facilitates recycling of organic wastes from the food & beverage industry (tipping fees?)
Limitations
Current regulations for importing off-farm manure or wastes require Certificate of Approvals – Ontario  changes to allow up to 20% off-farm inputs.

17. Co-Digestion of Livestock Manures
Know your inputs – Keep them consistent. Sudden changes disrupt digester performance.
Pre-mix + equilibrate input wastes before digestion.
Digester bacteria are highly sensitive to some antibiotics (e.g. tetracyclines) and to some feed additives.
Best to pasteurize inputs before digestion (70°C for 1hr).
Minimizes competition with digester bacterial culture.
Minimizes pathogens in digestate final product.

18. Barriers to Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology
Investment, Incentive & Payback Issues
Managing Regulatory Issues
Developing Reliability, Trust & Expertise
Managing Complexity

19. Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology
Investment, Incentive & Payback Issues
$300K - >$5M, depending on scale of operation – Plant Life –- 20 – 30 yr before reconditioning – Payback –- <7 yr (electricity, solids sales, emission credits) – Breakeven –- 110 cow dairy; 1200 hog; 25,000 poultry
Policy Issues – Need complimentary policies & incentives across 3 levels of government - Environ. Loan Guarantees to manage risk (US. Farm Bill) - Standard Purchase Offers for green electricity (Ontario - 11¢/Kwh) - Business Energy Tax Credits (Oregon) – up to 35% of cost
Feasibility Assessment - value of odour & pathogen-free manure? A Switch” - Change from societal opposition  Opportunities for new partnerships.

20. Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology
(cont’d) Payback - Establishing Revenue Streams
Electricity Purchase Agreements – Std. Purchase Offers – single most important  long-term stable planning and ability borrow capital
Sale of Processed Solids (Org. Fertilizers) – Surplus nutrients exported – promotes nutrient re-use
Emission Trading System (currently developing) - sell credits for reducing emissions – 2 cases in USA (Jan. 2006) - recent value of e-CO2 in Europe ~ $10/tonne
Tipping Fees for Receiving Food-Grade Wastes – boost biogas output (20 – 30%)  increases revenue

21. Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology
Managing Regulatory Issues
Electrical generation – interconnects for net/dual metering Power Utilities starting to change policies for small renewable energy generators (up to 500 kw) (2-phase/3-phase lines)
Off-farm biomass inputs (boost biogas production) can result in C. of A.’s – regulations being changed to allow up to 20% food-grade wastes
Managing emissions / discharges Biogas flare, fugitive GHGs, liquid discharges
Fertilizer/amendment products - quality assurance, certification; labeling requirements

22. Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology
Developing Reliability, Trust & Expertise
Small number of installed Ag digesters in Canada (< 2 doz. in advanced design or already built)
Limited knowledgeable Canadian design/build firms - very limited track record
Demonstration Program – AAFC/NRCAN - 3 yr - Energy Co-generation from Agricultural/Municipal Wastes (ECoAMu) 4 digesters (AB – Beef; SK – Hogs; ON – Beef; QC - Hogs)
ECoAMu Program On ManureNet

23. Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology
Managing Complexity
A.D. adds yet another new technology to be managed by farmer – Time; Skill-sets
Service agreements
Co-Generation – Power Utility – electricity export
Remote monitoring & process control in real-time – practical technology now available from several Canadian companies

24. A Centralized Co-op Rural Energy System
Potential Components
Dewatered Digestate
Organic
Fertilizers
Liquid Digestate
water
Resource Centre
Electricity
Clean Water
Heat
CO2
Co-gen
Food Grade Organics
Co-Located
Industries
Greenhouses
(Veg., Flowers)
Fish Farm
Slaughterhouse
Bio-ethanol plant
Local
Municipal Organics
Rendering,
Deadstock
Wet Distillers Grain - 15% savings

25. Farm Bio-Energy Systems: The Concept
Electricity
Manure solids
Emission
credits
Tipping fees
GHG reductions
Deadstock
Income
Stabilization
Odours
Pathogens
Nutrient
export &
Recycling
Reduce
herbicide
use
Environmental
Solutions
Independent of
Livestock
prices
Heat
Electricity
Clean water
CO2
Farm Bio-Energy
Energy
Independence
Rural Revitalization
Municipal
Organic wastes
Co-located industries
Local biomass inputs

26. Components of Integrated Farm Energy System: Anaerobic Digester – Bio-Fuel Facility1
A.D. livestock manure processing system
Biogas  electricity + excess thermal energy used in bio-fuel production facility – increases efficiency
Bio-Fuel Plant (output ≤ 10 M L/yr alcohol/bio-diesel)
Biomass sources – corn, sweet potato, switchgrass, etc. < 10,000 acres local inputs per facility
Byproducts from alcohol plant – value-added animal feed
Local Bio-Fuel Refueling Centre  Refueling Network
Decreased transportation costs
Decreased GHG emissions, air pollution
1 Rentec Renewable Energy Technologies

27. Lynn Cattle Turnkey Integrated Manure Processing Facility
Indoor Beef Feedlot: ,500 head (11,000/yr throughput)
Farm Owner/Operator: Mr. Phil Lynn & Family
Farm Size: 4,500 ac Location: NW of Lucan, Ontario
Project Start: Early 2003; Expected Startup: Spring 2006
Design/Builder: Rentec Renewable Energy Technologies

28. Lynn Cattle Integrated Manure Processing Facility
Rentec Renewable Energy Technologies

29. Lynn Cattle Integrated Manure Processing Facility
Expected Outputs
11,000 head/yr beef (2 cycles of 5,500)
7,000 Mwhr/yr electricity surplus (=1600
9,000 tonnes/yr organic soil amendment/fertilizers
10M L/yr alcohol production
Direct GHG emission reductions – 25,000 tonnes/yr e-CO2
Partnerships
Local Municipality – will purchase green electricity for municipal buildings, street lighting, sports complexes. A “Green Community”

30. Lynn Cattle Integrated Manure Processing Facility

31. Comparison of Bio-Fuel Production Models
Centralized Bio-Fuel Production (> 200 M L/yr)
Controlled by large energy companies or large co-ops
Large source area for biomass inputs  high transportation costs (GHG emissions & air pollution)
Most benefits accrue  corporate investors
Distributed Farm-based Bio-Fuel Production (<10 M L/yr)
Large single farm operations or small farm co-ops
Local sources for biomass inputs (↓Transportation/GHG emissions)
Increased local employment + Municipal tax base
Distributed production facilitates re-fueling centre network
Most benefits accrue  local farms & rural communities
Once-in-lifetime transition from fossil  bio-fuels happening NOW… Farmers & rural commmunities need to get involved to benefit.

32. Examples of Manure-Powered Bio-fuel Production
Panda Energy, Dallas, TX is building three, $120M 100 M gal/yr manure-powered ethanol plants in Texas, Colorado and Kansas.
E3 Biofuels LLC, Omaha, NE is building a $45 M closed loop alcohol-from-manure facility at a Mead, NE 30,000 head feedlot (8 M bu. of corn/yr  24 M gal/yr) – to be in production Fall 2006.
ManureNet Digester Compendium:

33. In Summary - Benefits
Future livestock operations will be structured around bio-energy  energy independence & financial stability for farmers, using anaerobic digestion/co-generation technologies.
Facilitates conservation and recycling of resources (nutrients, carbon = $$$)
Income stabilization through diversification (New revenue streams independent from cyclic commodity prices, providing stable base for income!)

34. In Summary - Benefits Reduces environmental footprint
Reduced odours, pathogens  diminished societal concerns
Flexibility for applying/exporting processed manure products
Kills weed seeds – reduces herbicide usage
Strengthens rural economy using local inputs (employment, resource inputs – biomass crops)
Municipality can be a partner (green wastes, buy energy)
Farmer co-ops take increased control of rural businesses ADD value to products BEFORE leaving farm gate
Reduced transportation costs for manufacturing (bio-based)

35. Conclusions
Economics are rapidly improving, but policies, incentives & regulations need to be coordinated across 3 levels of government to facilitate adoption.
Environ. Loan guarantees, long-term std. purchase offers, etc
Access to electrical grids for small renewable generators
Farmland energy & conservation subsidies considered by WTO as legitimate “green box” programs – not subject to trade sanctions.
Need to increase technical support and assistance to foster timely adoption of the technology.
Agriculture sector needs to get involved in bio-fuels production at farm-scale – one-time transition from fossil sources  benefits to rural communities.

36. Micro CHP (Combined Heating and Power) Distributed Power Generation
Electricity + Heat generated at each residence
Small engine + generator  replace furnace & water heater
85 % Efficiency
Grid

37. Micro CHP (Combined Heating and Power) Distributed Power Generation
Centralized Gas-Fired Plant
Micro CHP
INPUT
100
Waste Energy 57
<15
Line Losses
4 - 7
Electricity 39 20
Useful Heat Energy
>65
Net Useful Energy
36-39
85+

38. Micro CHP (Combined Heating and Power) Advantages
Micro CHP units run on natural gas or biogas
More efficient use of resources (15% vs 60% loss) (39 vs 85 % efficiency)
Excess electricity exported to grid (10 kw units - $$)
Blackout & Terrorist proof (totally distributed generation)
Significant GHG reductions
Almost eliminate line losses (electricity used on-site)
In Ontario – 2 million homes would produce 10,000 Mw – equivalent to several nuclear power plants
No environmental assessments required – minor impacts
Several thousand units being tested in Europe & Japan; USA senate holding hearings on technology potential

39. Resource Information on
6,500 external web links
Several hundred digital technical/research reports
Manure Treatment
Digester Compendium
Nutrient Recovery
Ammonia Emissions
Nutrient Management
Environmental Issues
GHG Emissions
Odour Management
Land Application
Renewable Energy Systems
Storage & Handling
Housing / Feedlots
Feeding Strategies
Codes, Acts, Regulations
Health & Safety
Digital Library
Expertise
Environmental Archive (200 digital reports)