Source: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

Wisconsin is encouraging business consortiums and farmers to think about turning dairy manure into energy, all in the name of protecting the state’s waters.

In late-2016, Gov. Scott Walker asked the state’s Public Service Commission; the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; and the Department of Natural Resources to draft a Request for Proposals, targeting parties interested in utilizing anaerobic digester technology to build, operate, and maintain a system to treat manure from dairy farms. Anaerobic digesters work to produce renewable energy in the form of biogas and incorporate a system for treating wastewater that will capture nutrients and reduce pathogens.

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“Water quality is a top priority for us,” Walker says. “This joint effort is important progress, and we will continue working toward a sustainable solution to ensure our natural resources remain viable for generations to come.”

Proposals will be evaluated on the financial viability of treatment technologies including capital, long-term operation and maintenance, according to DATCP Secretary Ben Brancel. “A successful proposal will be evaluated on their ability to produce energy efficiently, remove nutrients from the manure and reduce pathogens.”

To make this public/private project possible, PSC authorized Focus on Energy to spend up to $20 million for Integrated Anaerobic Digester projects that meet Focus on Energy eligibility requirements.

See the complete DATCP press release here.