July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Power from livestock a possibility (07/10/07)
Jay County Commissioners
By By TRAVIS MINNEAR-
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture has Jay County Commissioners thinking green.
Representatives from the state agency sat down Monday afternoon with commissioners to discuss the benefits of potential ag-related alternative energy strategies.
"It (alternative energy) could really bring an economic renaissance," ISDA Director Andy Miller said.
Methane gas acquisition from animal waste was a key part of the conversation.
This process involves waste being filtered, then pumped into containers, also known as anaerobic digesters, Andy Miller said.
From there, the resulting methane gas is compressed and either sent to be burned to generate electricity or scrubbed clean through a process called gasification and piped to holding tanks for later use.
Commissioner Milo Miller Jr. said with large livestock populations, Jay County could become a mecca for this method of generating electricity.
"I'd like to get into some more bio stuff for us," he said. "We've probably got about 200,000 head of hogs in Jay County.
"It's the way to go in the future."
A study conducted recently by Ball State University on the county's confined feeding livestock operations estimated there were actually 270,000 hogs in Jay County as of August 2006.
Part of the meeting focused on the transition to virtual energy self-sufficiency made in Reynolds, Ind., located in White County. That's where the ISDA began a pilot program that allows Reynolds to exist almost solely on locally-generated alternative energy, including ethanol and methane gas from animal waste.
White County has the potential to produce 78 times more energy than it needs, Andy Miller said, and progress seen in Reynolds could become more common in other places throughout the state.
"I think you're going to see more small towns seeing this as a way to deal with their waste management solutions," he said.
Milo Miller Jr. said farmers need to have economic incentives to begin implementing digesters and other technology that converts waste into methane gas.
The financial benefits associated with generating energy could offset initial investments made by farmers, Theurer said. He suggested that the ISDA contact Eldon Wray, who recently obtained a building permit for a $3.5 million confined animal feeding facility in southwestern Jay County, to possibly set up a pilot project aimed at informing area farmers about the advantages of creating alternative energy.
"A big plus would be if he could get this in and make it work," Theurer said.
In other business on Monday, commissioners unanimously appointed Reda Theurer-Miller to a three-year term on the John Jay Center for Learning's board of directors. She replaces Elizabeth Hudson, who served the maximum of six years. Theurer-Miller is the director of the Youth Service Bureau of Jay County.[[In-content Ad]]
Representatives from the state agency sat down Monday afternoon with commissioners to discuss the benefits of potential ag-related alternative energy strategies.
"It (alternative energy) could really bring an economic renaissance," ISDA Director Andy Miller said.
Methane gas acquisition from animal waste was a key part of the conversation.
This process involves waste being filtered, then pumped into containers, also known as anaerobic digesters, Andy Miller said.
From there, the resulting methane gas is compressed and either sent to be burned to generate electricity or scrubbed clean through a process called gasification and piped to holding tanks for later use.
Commissioner Milo Miller Jr. said with large livestock populations, Jay County could become a mecca for this method of generating electricity.
"I'd like to get into some more bio stuff for us," he said. "We've probably got about 200,000 head of hogs in Jay County.
"It's the way to go in the future."
A study conducted recently by Ball State University on the county's confined feeding livestock operations estimated there were actually 270,000 hogs in Jay County as of August 2006.
Part of the meeting focused on the transition to virtual energy self-sufficiency made in Reynolds, Ind., located in White County. That's where the ISDA began a pilot program that allows Reynolds to exist almost solely on locally-generated alternative energy, including ethanol and methane gas from animal waste.
White County has the potential to produce 78 times more energy than it needs, Andy Miller said, and progress seen in Reynolds could become more common in other places throughout the state.
"I think you're going to see more small towns seeing this as a way to deal with their waste management solutions," he said.
Milo Miller Jr. said farmers need to have economic incentives to begin implementing digesters and other technology that converts waste into methane gas.
The financial benefits associated with generating energy could offset initial investments made by farmers, Theurer said. He suggested that the ISDA contact Eldon Wray, who recently obtained a building permit for a $3.5 million confined animal feeding facility in southwestern Jay County, to possibly set up a pilot project aimed at informing area farmers about the advantages of creating alternative energy.
"A big plus would be if he could get this in and make it work," Theurer said.
In other business on Monday, commissioners unanimously appointed Reda Theurer-Miller to a three-year term on the John Jay Center for Learning's board of directors. She replaces Elizabeth Hudson, who served the maximum of six years. Theurer-Miller is the director of the Youth Service Bureau of Jay County.[[In-content Ad]]
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