A Scatological Solution?

I guess if the CEC takes this seriously enough to issue a report, we can talk about it, too! Blogger Green Wombat has an item today about the economics of turning cow manure into electricity by extracting methane gas to power generating turbines.

According to our friend Green Wombat:

"...[T]he 9,900-cow Hilarides Dairy outside Tulare in Southern California has installed a state-subsidized methane digester system that could provide all its electricity from cow manure. In November, the dairy saved $15,547 in electricity costs. But as was the case with other dairies reviewed by the report, the Tulare farm has been reluctant to fully ramp up cower power. Why? For one thing, there's no system in place that lets dairies sell excess power they generate to Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG), Southern California Edison (EIX) and other California utilities. That discourages dairy owners from spending the money to operate methane digesters. Second, the state's "net metering" law - which credits dairies for excess electricity they generate - is so convoluted and stacked in the utilities favor as to make investments in cow power a risky bet."

I guess if we're going to produce 20% of our energy from renewables by 2010, we have to look at every option.

Moo.

California Cow Power: Poop Pays [Green Wombat]