Duke University’s new Carbon Offsets Initiative has solved a waste problem faced by a pig farm in North Carolina and created a renewable energy source at the same time. Loyd Ray Farms houses about 9,000 pigs, which in turn produce a total of 400,000 gallons of manure on a weekly basis. Up until now the farm pumped the manure into a nearby lagoon, which obviously produces harmful gases and a bad smell.
A new waste to fuel system installed by Duke University takes the pig waste and burns the methane produced to create electricity for the farm. The system, which cost $1.2 million to build, burns the harmful methane gas and emits carbon dioxide. Methane is considered to be far more potent than carbon dioxide.
Google, Duke Energy and Duke University teamed up to fund the project and will receive carbon offset credits for their efforts. In an interview with The Times Tatjana Vujic said; “Farmers like the idea of using every bit of what comes off their farms. They can manage their waste and save money while doing it.”
Bacteria that eats manure is mixed with the pig waste. Methane is produced during the digestion process, which is burned to operate a micro-turbine.
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