More Manure-to-Energy for County

By Ad Crable

Another manure-to-energy project is in the works for Lancaster County.

The Narvon dairy farm of Alfred Wanner and the nonprofit Sustainable Energy Fund of Central Eastern Pennsylvania are teaming to build an anaerobic digester that will convert manure from the farm’s 600 cows into electricity.

The energy not only will power the farm, but enough surplus electricity will be sold to PPL to power approximately 40 homes, according to the Sustainable Energy Fund, a private group dedicated to promoting clean and renewable energy initiatives. The group is helping to fund the project. The anaerobic digester should be in operation in July, according to John Forsythe, the fund’s project manager.

Forsythe noted that the project not only will produce "green" electricity, but also will reduce greenhouse gases, improve manure handling, reduce odor generation and provide bedding material for the dairy herd.

In addition to funding from the group, Wanner also received an Energy Harvest Grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection, as well as a federal grant from the Department of Agriculture.

"Programs like these help a farmer with the upfront costs of installing an anaerobic digester," Wanner said. "As a farmer, I’m always interested in environmentally friendly projects. My upfront capital requirements were reduced, and I am able to recapture my investment in electricity cost savings over time."

Last month, EnergyWorks, a private alternative-energy company, announced it would build three anaerobic digestion plants to produce power on three farms in Lancaster County. The first will be on a Mount Joy egg farm.

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