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Fuel from the farm: Dairy farms a growing source of renewable fuel

Janelle Atyeo
Jan 30, 2023
Jan 30, 2023

Biogas from dairies (26).JPG — Dave Grooms, plant technician at the DTE Vantage biogas facility near Beresford, S.D., explains the process to breakdown dairy manure in a 2-million-gallon anaerobic digester.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Cows in southeastern South Dakota are powering vehicles in California.

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Biogas from dairies (39).JPG — Four anaerobic digesters sit between two dairies north of Beresford, S.D. They use manure from 15,000 cows to make biogas for natural gas fleet vehicles in California. The farmer gets paid and the facility owners, DTE Vantage, make money off of renewable fuel credits.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Feedlot Forum (15).JPG — Iowa State University Extension engineer Dr. Dan Anderson “DrManure” talks about the market for renewable fuel credits and making biogas from manure during the Feedlot Forum in Sioux Center, Iowa, Jan. 17, 2023.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Biogas — Pipes carry biogas from digesters near a dairy in Beresford, S.D. After a cleaning process, the renewable natural gas joins a pipeline that supplies transportation fuel to vehicles in California and other western states with renewable fuel targets.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Biogas from dairies (29).JPG — Flares burn off unwanted hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide gas after using methane from dairy manure to make renewable natural gas.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Biogas from dairies (35).JPG — Methane from dairy manure runs through a system of membranes at the DTE Vantage biogas facility. It cleans it of oil, water and unwanted gases before sending the natural gas to a transmission pipeline 8 miles away.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Anaerobic digester — The interior of an anaerobic digester tank at the Beresford site is seen during construction. Manure is heated and sits in the 2-million gallon tanks for three weeks, letting off methane gas that’s captured and refined for vehicle fuel.
Submitted photo

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Janelle is editor of the Tri-State Neighbor, covering South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at jatyeo@tristateneighbor.com or follow on Twitter @JLNeighbor.