Economics and Benefits of Anaerobic Digesters
Before you install a anaerobic digester—also known as a biodigester—on your farm or ranch, you should explore its economic value and potential benefits.
A biodigester usually requires manure from more than 150 large animals to cost effectively generate electricity. Anaerobic digestion and biogas production can also reduce overall operating costs where costs are high for sewage, agricultural, or animal waste disposal, and the effluent has economic value.
In the United States, the availability of inexpensive fossil fuels has limited the use of digesters solely for biogas production. However, the waste treatment and odor reduction benefits of controlled anaerobic digestion are receiving increasing interest, especially for large-scale livestock operations such as dairies, feedlots, and slaughterhouses.