Energy and a Cleaner Environment
Energy prices in the US and around the world have escalated dramatically. Whether in the form of electricity, petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline, diesel fuel, natural gas) or coal, all forms of carbon-based energy are at historic highs.
The economic impact of this rise in energy costs, combined with America’s desire to seek energy independence from foreign oil, cannot be overstated. When combined with the desire to reduce emissions hazardous to the environment, the opportunity is great for innovation and implementation of a new paradigm.
Integrated Organic Energy has found one particular area where such a paradigm shift is imperative -- livestock production.
In 1976, the Resource Conservation and Recycling Act set standards for emissions of many bi-products of production and processes in the US. One section of this act specifically deals with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). In the past, livestock production was largely ignored or exempted from many of the specific regulations enforced on industry, and thus was not forced to adequately control discharges of toxic material into the atmosphere and water. This special allowance has lead to widespread abuses and significant long-term problems affecting society and the environment.
Over the past 5 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun enforcing the regulations pertaining to CAFO regulations, and of late has signaled an inclination to eliminate ‘grandfathered’ exempt status for existing operations.
When looking at livestock production, we found a number of things:
The economic impact of this rise in energy costs, combined with America’s desire to seek energy independence from foreign oil, cannot be overstated. When combined with the desire to reduce emissions hazardous to the environment, the opportunity is great for innovation and implementation of a new paradigm.
Integrated Organic Energy has found one particular area where such a paradigm shift is imperative -- livestock production.
In 1976, the Resource Conservation and Recycling Act set standards for emissions of many bi-products of production and processes in the US. One section of this act specifically deals with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). In the past, livestock production was largely ignored or exempted from many of the specific regulations enforced on industry, and thus was not forced to adequately control discharges of toxic material into the atmosphere and water. This special allowance has lead to widespread abuses and significant long-term problems affecting society and the environment.
Over the past 5 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun enforcing the regulations pertaining to CAFO regulations, and of late has signaled an inclination to eliminate ‘grandfathered’ exempt status for existing operations.
When looking at livestock production, we found a number of things:
- A great deal of the nutrients and energy ingested by animals is under (or not) utilized in the production of meat, milk and eggs.
- Most of the methane gas, CO2 and nitrogen (as ammonium, ammonia & protein) are lost to the atmosphere through existing manure handling processes.
- Existing technologies and methodology are often designed merely to mask or trick testing, and capture a low percentage of the energy and nutrients in the manure.
- Methane burned through generators emits the same amount of carbon to atmosphere, and the exhaust CO2 is still a greenhouse gas.
- Algae are a very effective means of converting CO2 to usable vegetable proteins while eliminating the carbon emissions.
- Existing digestion for methane production is a ‘stop gap’ measure and is ripe for improvement.
- There is a growing demand for "green" electricity.
- Capture energy from the digestion, conversion and recycling portions of the process to produce genuine, marketable ‘green energy’ from renewable sources. These include bio-fuels and electricity.
- Embrace both the spirit and the letter of the US EPA’s RCRA laws by reusing and recycling waste materials into new uses while rendering them harmless to the environment.
- Reduce greenhouse emissions from animal waste.
- Reduce contamination of groundwater resources caused by disposal of animal production bi-product waste.
- Recover valuable resources for conversion to vegetable proteins and minerals for animal feeds, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutriceutical products.
- Convert polluted water into benign and reusable water.