Re-Defining Confined Livestock Farming:

Farm-based Renewable Energy Systems

Bruce T. Bowman

Expert Committee on Manure ManagementCanadian Agri-Food Research Council

Presented to:Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA)

Toronto, Ontario

June 2, 2005

Farm Bio-Energy

A.D.Manure

Processing

Rural Society Benefits

FarmEconomic

Benefits

Presentation Objective

To demonstrate the central role of manure processing & farm bio-energy systems for

revitalizing rural economies

- GHG’s- Odours- Pathogens- Deadstock - Conservation

- Recycling- Nutrient availability

EnvironmentalRemediation

NutrientIssues

Biogas

Water volumes

Carbon = Energy $$$

Three priority issues to manage:

Nutrients Odours Pathogens

Priority Issues for Manure Management

............................. but also …….

Food Products

HumanConsumptionCereal Production

LARGE SCALE ONE-WAY NUTRIENT FLOWSRecycling Nutrients & Organic Matter

AnnualMineral

FertilizerAdditions

Nutrients & O.M. NOT recycled

Regional nutrient excesses

Local Farm

Manure

Odour Pathogens

Wastes

Landfills

Nutrient inputs

Conditions for exporting manure nutrients:1. Odour-free2. Pathogen-free3. Dewatered (dried) for transportation

Manure processing (anaerobic digestion) can solve these issues.

Exporting Surplus Livestock Nutrients

The need to export surplus nutrients will increase with further intensification of livestock operations.

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 crops

About 50% of carbon biogas (CH4 + CO2, 65:35, tr. H2S);

- Biogas used to generate electricity by co-gen units

- (nutrients in more plant available, predictable form)

(~ 25% C blown off conventional slurries by bacterial decomp.)

Anaerobic Digestion

A Few Facts

Certain antibiotics can STOP digestion processes

Processing Time: 20 – 35 days @ 37°C

Odour Reduction: ~ 90% or more

Pathogens Reduced to:~ 1/1000 – 1/10,000 (37°C)

- Eliminate pathogens by pasteurizing (1hr @ 70°C)

Anaerobic Digestion

…….. More Facts

Environmental

Reduce odours & pathogens - flexibility to export surplus nutrients

Conserve nutrients (N)- reduce mineral fertilizer use

Reduce gaseous emissions - GHGs, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide

Societal

Reduce siting / zoning problemsRegain public support

Opportunity for new rural partnerships

Economic

Renewable energy generation

- energy independence

Export surplus Livestock nutrients Emission reduction trading credits Tipping fees – food-grade wastes

- 20 – 25% energy boost

Why Digest Manure?Potential Benefits

Yield / Productivity

Environmental Issues

S

oci

etal

Co

nce

rns

Balancing Issues in a Sustainable Farming Operation

1. Yield/Productivity (economics)

2. Environmental Issues

Both are science-based

3. Societal Concerns

Perception-based, emotional

Can over-ride other 2 factors.

Opposition difficult to reverse once initiated

Pre-1965

Since 1970s 2-D

Since 1990s 3-D

High Tech

Manure Processing Anaerobic Digestion

Low Tech

1. Investment, Incentive & Payback Issues

2. Managing Regulatory Issues

3. Developing Reliability, Trust & Expertise

4. Managing Complexity

Barriers to Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology

1. 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 (Considerably less in Europe because of “greener” policies)

Policy Issues – Need consistent policies & incentives across 3 levels of government - Environ. Loan Guarantees (manage risk) - Tax Incentives for green electricity

Feasibility Assessment - How does the farmer put a realistic value on odour & pathogen-free manure? – changes from societal opposition to opportunities for new partnerships.

Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of

Anaerobic Digestion Technology

Sale of Processed Solids/ Org. Fertilizers – excess nutrients exported – promotes nutrient re-use

Emission Trading System currently developing- sell credits for reducing emissions- current value of e-CO2 in Europe ~ $10/tonne

Tipping Fees for Receiving Food-Grade Wastes – boost biogas output (20 – 30%) increases revenue

1. Establishing Revenue Streams

Electricity Purchase Agreements– Net Metering, Dual Metering – Peak Demand Generation– Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan - leading provinces– may be sufficient to be energy independent; delivered power ~ 2 x generating costs (ON = 12 - 15¢/kwh)

Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of

Anaerobic Digestion Technology

2. Managing Regulatory Issues

Electrical generation – interconnects / net meteringPower Utilities starting to change policies for small renewable energy generators (up to 500 kw)

Off-farm biomass inputs (boost biogas production)can result in C.of A.’s – regulations being changed to allow <20% food-grade wastes

Managing emissions / dischargesBiogas flare, fugitive GHGs, liquid discharges

Fertilizer/amendment products - quality assurance, certification; labeling requirements

Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of

Anaerobic Digestion Technology

3. Developing Reliability, Trust & Expertise

Small number of installed digesters in Canada (12 – 18 in advanced design or already built)

Limited knowledgeable Canadian design/build firms- 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

http://res2.agr.gc.ca/initiatives/manurenet/en/hems/ecoamu_main.html

Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of

Anaerobic Digestion Technology

4. 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

Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of

Anaerobic Digestion Technology

Resource Centre

Electricity

Clean Water

Heat CO2

Co-Located Industries

Greenhouses(Veg., Flowers)

Fish FarmSlaughterhouse

Bio-ethanol plant

A Centralized Co-op Rural Energy System

Potential Components

LiquidDigestate

DewateredDigestate

Food GradeOrganics

Local MunicipalOrganics

Rendering, Deadstock

Organic Fertilizers

water

Co-gen

Wet Distillers Grain - 15% savings

Challenges Facing Confined Livestock Operations

Increasing price volatility (The China factor)

Less reliable supplies (Declining fossil reserves) Will also increase N fertilizer costs

Continuing vulnerability of farm incomes Increasing costs of compliance

Increasing regulations – nutrients, pathogens Municipal waste issues (biosolids) Rendering / deadstock – limited uses/value GHG emission reductions – Kyoto protocol Increasing livestock intensities – odour

Energy

Environment

/ Health

Economics

Future livestock operations will be structured around bio-energy energy independence using co-generation technologies.

Facilitates conservation and recycling of resources (nutrients, carbon = $$$)

Income stabilization through diversification (new revenue streams independent from commodity prices!) - Green Electricity - Processed manure solids- Emission Trading Credits - Co-located integrated industries- Tipping fees for food-quality wastes (energy boost)

Re-Inventing Confined Livestock Farming

Reduces existing environmental issues

– Reduced odours, pathogens diminished societal concerns

– Flexibility for applying/exporting processed manure products

Strengthens rural economy utilizing more local inputs (employment, resource inputs – biomass crops)- Municipality can be a partner (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)

Re-Inventing Confined Livestock Farming

ElectricityManure solids

Emission credits

Tipping fees

Heat Electricity

Clean waterCO2

Municipal Organic wastes

Co-located industriesLocal biomass inputs

OdoursPathogens

Nutrient export & Recycling

Reduce herbicide

use

GHG reductionsDeadstock

Farm Bio-Energy CentresAs Integrators & Facilitators

EnvironmentalSolutions

IncomeStabilization

Rural Revitalization

Farm Bio-EnergyA.D. Processing

EnergyIndependence

Independent

of Livestockprices

In Summary

A.D. manure processing is the key to: Remediating environmental problems (odours, pathogens) Improving community relations Providing flexibility for managing surplus nutrients Generating bio-energy (thermal, electrical) energy

independence & rural business opportunities

Economics are rapidly improving, but policies, incentives & regulations need to be coordinated across 3 levels of gov’t to facilitate adoption of this technology.

Efforts to increase technical support and assistance are required to foster adoption of the technology.

Resource Information on

http://res2.agr.gc.ca/initiatives/manurenet/manurenet_en.html

6,100 external web links Several hundred digital technical/research reports

Manure TreatmentDigester CompendiumNutrient RecoveryAmmonia EmissionsNutrient ManagementEnvironmental IssuesGHG EmissionsOdour ManagementLand Application

Storage & HandlingHousing / FeedlotsFeeding StrategiesCodes, Acts,

RegulationsHealth & SafetyLinksDigital LibraryExpertiseEnvironmental Archive

(>170 digital reports)

Micro CHP (Combined Heating and Power)

Distributed Power Generation

Electricity + Heat generated at each residenceSmall engine + generator replace furnace & water heater

Grid

85 % efficiency

Micro CHP (Combined Heating and Power)Distributed Power Generation

Centralized Gas-Fired Plant Micro CHP

INPUT 100 100

Waste Energy 57 <15

Line Losses 4 - 7 0

Electricity 39 20

Useful Heat Energy 0 65

Net Useful Energy 36-39 85+

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

Micro CHP (Combined Heating and Power)

Advantages