Livestock operations have long faced challenges related to manure and process water management. The agricultural industry has focused on odor control and protecting environmental quality for many years, but awareness of agribusiness’ contribution to greenhouse gasses and climate change has fueled new developments to curb the emission of methane. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in the US alone, livestock manure emits about 2 million tons of methane, accounting for approximately 8 percent of the annual anthropogenic methane emissions in the US. To curb greenhouse gas emissions, many national, regional, state, and local governments throughout the US, South America, China, and Europe have developed regulations and incentives to promote the development of biogas facilities.
Biogas, a byproduct of the anaerobic digestion process, is rich in valuable methane, typically ranging from 50 to 80 percent making it a highly efficient and clean-burning energy fuel. Many livestock producers benefit from using biogas on-site to reduce their energy expenses. Larger-scale operations can also sell biogas to natural gas grids or generate electricity for integration into the electrical grid, creating additional income opportunities.
Xylem has extensive experience supplying complete solutions for handling, treating, and utilizing biogas captured from wastewater and organic waste.
