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Australia's first carbon farming piggery has been registered. Farm owners Edwina and Michael Beveridge's 22,000 pigs are now generating more than enough clean energy to power the entire property and the farm no longer pays a cent for electricity.
"Blantyre Farms is the first approved piggery project under the Federal Government's Carbon Farming Initiative and is successfully turning waste and greenhouse gases into clean energy," said Mark Dreyfus, Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
The Beveridges have covered their effluent ponds and are capturing methane gas produced by pig manure. The methane is turned into renewable electricity using a biogas generator. "Heat from the generator is also being used to keep the baby piglets warm in their sheds. Innovative local Brisbane company, Quantum Power, developed the technology and built the equipment for the project," he said.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, said the Beveridges are an example of farmers taking advantage of the Carbon Farming Initiative with real on farm benefits.
The CFI project uses the Destruction of Methane Generated from Manure in Piggeries methodology determination, developed in collaboration with the Australian Government, the pork industry and scientists. There are 3 other methodology determinations and more than 40 under consideration, including a dairy methodology for cow manure.
Thursday October 25, 2012/ Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency/ Australia.
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/
