On April 22, Vermont’s own Long Trail Brewing Company officially signed on with Central Vermont Public Service Corps (CVPS) Cow Power program as a part of the company’s longstanding commitment to the environment, says Seth Wyman, Long Trail marketing manager.
The change went into effect on Tuesday, coinciding with Earth Day. Twenty-five percent of Long Trail’s electricity will now come from methane produced by cows on dairy farms across the state of Vermont, Wyman says.
A new way to brew
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David Dunn, CVPS Cow Power program manager, left, discusses operation of the generator with Ernie Audet, one of the owners of Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Costello) |
Switching to “Cow Power” is part of Long Trail’s “ECObrew” initiative. The “ECO” in “ECObrew” stands for Environmentally Conscious Operations, Wyman says. In a nutshell, cow power is electricity produced from the cow waste found on dairy farms. It is a forerunner in the slew of new, ecologically friendly energy sources, he says.
Long Trail has been committed to environmentally friendly brewing practices for over 20 years, Wyman says.
“We’ve been doing the green thing way before it was cool,” Wyman says.
The change will come at a cost. There is a 4-cent premium on electricity produced by cow power, Wyman says. However, 95 percent of those 4 cents goes back to the ailing dairy farms industry in Vermont.
The local relationship with the dairy farmers was an important factor to Long Trail in deciding what new type of energy source to use, according to Wyman.
“We are very excited about wind and solar power, but cow power allows us to help local dairy farmers, which is very important to us,” Wyman says.
The end result will not be cost-effective for Long Trail, but Wyman believes the environmental repercussions are more important than profit, he says.
“We are leading the way for other breweries to take some environmental responsibility,” Wyman says.
Smelly science
The energy source known as “cow power” is considered renewable and sustainable. It involves harnessing the methane produced by cows which produces a bio-fuel, says Steve Costello, CVPS public relations representative.
Farm waste is collected and stored in an “anaerobic digester.” Bacteria in the “digester,” which is a concrete container, breaks down the waste into several organic elements, one of which is methane. The methane gas builds up creating pressure. The gas then travels through a series of pipes that eventually leads to a generator. The generator spins and harnesses the energy, producing electricity. The digested, sanitized manure is then returned to the farm where it can serve a variety of purposes, such as bedding for the cows, according to the CVPS Web site.
The upside of manure
“The environmental benefits of cow power are tremendous,” Costello says.
The hugest benefit is manure management. Manure is 20 percent better at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2, the most notorious greenhouse gas. Methane is a large contributor to heat trapped in our atmosphere, perpetuating the process of global warming, Costello says. By containing it, it does a huge service in deterring excess heat within the atmosphere, Costello says.
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David Dunn and Earl Audet examine dry solids left over after the digestion process. The material, which is virtually odorless and looks like peat moss, can be used as cow bedding, saving tens of thousands of dollars annually for the farm owners. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Costello) |
Processing manure also kills pathogens that might exist within the waste, Costello says. This aids in preventing the contamination of water sources in the area from fertilizer run off, he says.
“Killing the pathogens also leaves the processed manure virtually odorless,” Costello says. “This might not be important to you or I, but if you’re living on a dairy farm, it might be the greatest part of the process.”
The use of cow power also limits the burning of fossil fuels, Costello says. Sawdust is traditionally used for the bedding of cows on dairy farms and is imported by the truckload from Canada. By signing on with CVPS, farms receive the by-product of the processed manure, which is a clean sod-like material the cows can lay on. This limits the transportation of tons of sawdust, saving gas, Costello says.
The technology to produce cow power energy is not cheap, he adds.
“The cost of building is pretty high to take care of the manure,” Costello says. “It can cost between $1 and $2 million.”
This might cause delay in getting the practice off the ground, but is a plausible option for customers in the Vermont area, Costello says.
People interested in purchasing cow power can buy 25, 50, or 100 percent of their electricity form CVPS. This allows people the option of choosing what suits them economically, Costello says.
So far, four Vermont farms have contributed to CVPS, with an additional farm to be added by the end of May. Costello projects that by 2010, 12 of Vermont’s dairy farms will be on board with CVPS.
Long Trail is the largest company to have an account with CVPS, but the largest buyer in Vermont is Green Mountain College in Poultney.
“Cow Power is an energy source that has been around for thousands of years,” Costello says.
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Steve Dvorak, left, David Dunn, Earl Audet and Melissa VanOrnum examine a manure separator at Blue Spruce Farm. Steve Dvorak designed the manure digester at the farm. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Costello) |
Although the technology might not be as advanced, the knowledge of the potential energy existing within animal waste has been known for quite some time. It is merely a matter of converting the First World to these new farming practices, Costello says.
Cows are not treated any differently on dairy farms that contribute to CVPS. They are free to roam around and eat as they please. The only difference is their waste is used to contribute to a better environment, Costello says.
“It is truly a win-win situation,” Costello says.
Montagne Farm in St. Albans, Vt. is one of four dairy farms contributing to the cow power program.
The Montagne Farm receives a 95 percent cut of contributing profits from the energy produced by their cows, says Cathy Montagne, co-owner of the farm.
The Montagnes had to convert much of their farm to accommodate the technology necessary to utilize the cow waste.
They are still getting used the process, but are happy with what they have seen so far, Montagne says.
“We are excited to see how cow power picks up in Vermont,” Montagne says.