'BIOGAS' FARM GETS STATE FUNDING
Farm converts manure into methane gas

This AgCert illustration depits the biogas production process.

Rick VanEtten and his Four Winds Farm in Harrison Township, near Ulysses, will be adding a new piece of equipment to improve operations.

VanEtten operates one of the few successful "biogas" operations in Pennsylvania. It's an anaerobic digestion system to treat farm waste.

He converts manure from hundreds of cows to methane gas that generates electricity. It's a trend that is likely to continue across the state, due to government incentives and rising energy costs.

Last month, Four Winds Farm was awarded a low-interest loan for $200,000 for a methane digester. Money comes from the state's First Industries Fund.

In 2004, the biogas operation was hatched with the help of a $255,000 state grant to help VanEtten install an anaerobic digester with a generating capacity of 140 kilowatts. Another $130,000 grant was approved in 2005.

Several delays challenged the family and cost overruns were a concern. Extension of electric lines over a two-mile expanse was one of the more expensive propositions, but was necessary to feed the electricity into the public grid.

Establishment of a propanefueled supplemental heat source was also necessary and purchase of sodium hydroxide to achieve the proper pH.

VanEtten said the project would not have been financially feasible without the government incentives, but now he is pleased with the results. Four Winds Farm will likely serve as a model for other biogas operations across the state.