|
|
| Fig. 1: Hog farm in North Carolina that could benefit from waste-to-energy practices. (Source: Wikimedia Commons) |
Hog farms across America and the world in general are beginning to use a new, innovative waste management and capture system that is turning swine waste into fuel. Biogas refers to methane that is created through the breakdown of things such as animal waste and scraps of food. The generation of the biogas for fuel is not the main goal but actually the byproduct. The true intention behind biogas production is to curb the production of methane which earns carbon offset credits for the farms who choose to use this process. Methane is a strong contributor to global warming, as it is a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. [1] To harness the biogas energy, manure is passed through a 7,600 cubic meter anaerobic digester. [2] The energy that is created through the breakdown of the organic matter in the digester is then passed through a 65 kW micro turbine that is able to convert the biogas into energy that can be fed back into the farm and help power other components of the operation. [1]
Americas marquee swine production state, North Carolina, is leading the charge in swine waste-to-energy methods. The flagship waste-to-energy project being conducted today is being executed by Duke Energy and Duke University in partnership with Loyd Ray Farms in Yadkinville, NC. An example of what such a hog farm may look like can be seen in Fig. 1. The project is using 100% swine manure to reduce carbon emissions, odors, disease transmitting vectors, ammonia, and helping improve local water quality for the community by avoiding pollution through better management of swine waste. The farm is also able to reuse much of their own water for cleaning purposes by improving the water quality given the lowered levels of ammonia exposure. By funding and managing the project, Duke Energy and Duke University receive carbon offset credits while the farm receives enough energy to run its entire hog farm operation for free. [1] Such waste-to-energy systems are beginning to be implemented elsewhere across the state and country as there are no legitimate drawbacks to them and the positives are strong for all parties involved as well as for the community and environment around them. [1] The infrastructure charges up front are the only reason for farms to not adopt such systems. However, once up and running, such systems can save hog farms money through sources such as purifying water that can be used for cleaning their hog houses that otherwise would have been waste water. [2] Finally, swine waste-to-energy systems are becoming an excellent example for other animal waste management operations across the country as livestock has been and will continue to be such a large hallmark of the American society and economy. [2]
Much of the growth potential of the industry as a whole will be driven by the influx of interest from investors who see these processes as an opportunity to not only make money, but benefit the environment and community around them. This certainly represents an opportunity in social impact investing that helps investors improve their social perception. Firms are becoming more and more incentivized to take part in social impact investing ventures because of governmental implications behind the cause and many of the benefits that come with it. Tax benefits and client attraction are main driving forces. Swine waste-to-energy systems certainly represent an excellent opportunity for investors to take part in something for social and environmental good and will be a major benefit to the industry as a whole. [3] The tricky piece for impact investing as it stands right now and considering its future is whether or not it will be able to to stick to its original intentions as it grows in popularity. Like other forms of investing, it would be easy to see impact investing digress from its intention of creating social good and rather focus solely on its returns. [3] The key principle that must be remembered by social impact investors is to add more value than you retract. [3]
© Henry Shimp. The author warrants that the work is the author's own and that Stanford University provided no input other than typesetting and referencing guidelines. The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author.
[1] J. Morrison, "In North Carolina, Hog Waste Is Becoming A Streamlined Fuel Source," NPR, 17 Apr 18.
[2] C. W. Adair et al., "Design and Assessment of an Innovative Swine Waste to Renewable Energy System," Trans. ASABE 59, 1009 (2016). (2016).
[3] M. Simon, "Smart Investing Can Drive Social Change," PBS, 13 Nov 17.
