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Cow power helps light Vermont (manure, heated up produces methane gas as it breaks down)
CNN ^ | January 18, 2005 | Associated Press

Posted on 01/18/2005 11:34:12 AM PST by bedolido

MONTPELIER, Vermont (AP) -- The 1,500 cows at Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport are producing more than just milk. They're generating electricity.

The methane gas from their manure is being used to produce electricity for Vermont's largest utility.

"This is the first time anywhere in the country that a farm-based generation has been offered to customers as a renewable choice," Central Vermont Public Service Corp. spokesman Steve Costello said.

Other farms have generated electricity for their own use, he said.

The manure is heated up and then produces methane gas as it breaks down. The gas is collected and used to power a generator, which sends electricity onto the power grid.

So far about 1,000 customers have signed on to pay about 4 cents more per kilowatt-hour for their electricity to support the farmers. Residential households ordinarily pay about 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; US: Vermont
KEYWORDS: cow; energy; environment; light; power; vermont
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To: martin_fierro

Oops, sorry. ;)


21 posted on 01/18/2005 1:03:45 PM PST by Jaxter ("Vivit Post Funera Virtus")
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To: bedolido

They've been using this sort of thing in remote areas of the globe now for power generation for a good while... the devaying dung produces methane which is then used to burn to turn turbines and produce electricity.

Manning and running the methane plant is communal and the responsibility is shared amongst the people of the village or area that use the power it generates.

Not sure how this VT system works, but certainly not something new.


22 posted on 01/18/2005 1:03:51 PM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: bedolido

23 posted on 01/18/2005 1:03:54 PM PST by mhking (Do not mess with dragons, for thou art crunchy & good with ketchup...)
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To: Rodney King

I wondered about that too. In large enough piles, decaying matter creates its own heat. My compost piles never freeze in the winter. I guess heating it just accelerate the methane production - which makes one wonder how much net energy is really being produced. Seems like Florida would be a better choice for this type of energy production as external heating wouldn't be necessary.


24 posted on 01/18/2005 1:12:46 PM PST by stacytec
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To: bedolido

A kind of related question:

Cow manure and horse manure are known to be good fertilizers.

Is that true of human feces?

Just curious.....


25 posted on 01/18/2005 1:49:07 PM PST by El Gran Salseron ( The replies by this poster are meant for self-amusement only. Read at your own risk. :-))
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To: terabyte

Cow Poing.


26 posted on 01/18/2005 1:50:57 PM PST by Terabitten (How many of them can we make die? Heather Alexander, "March of Cambreadth")
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To: libstripper

I could keep you entertained for hours on my many stories about lighting farts.


27 posted on 01/18/2005 2:12:50 PM PST by U S Army EOD (John Kerry, the mother of all flip floppers.I)
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To: El Gran Salseron
Cow manure and horse manure are known to be good fertilizers.
Is that true of human feces?
Just curious.....

In certain Middle Easter locales, human feces is used for fertilizer (or inadequate sewage processing allows it to seep into the crop soils). In such areas, bacterial infections and serious food poisoning are common results of eating any vegetation grown there.

28 posted on 01/18/2005 2:23:14 PM PST by VRWCmember ("You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." - Indigo Montoya)
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To: bedolido

Hot Air + BS = Energy production. With Michael Moore around, we should no longer be dependant on the middle east for oil.


29 posted on 01/18/2005 2:24:26 PM PST by VRWCmember ("You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." - Indigo Montoya)
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To: stacytec; Rodney King

My first thought in reading this story was "where do they get the energy (and how much does it take) to heat the manure.


30 posted on 01/18/2005 2:25:31 PM PST by VRWCmember ("You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." - Indigo Montoya)
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To: VRWCmember

Hmmm, wonder how I survived 15 months in Korea???


31 posted on 01/18/2005 3:01:39 PM PST by U S Army EOD (John Kerry, the mother of all flip floppers.I)
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To: U S Army EOD
Hmmm, wonder how I survived 15 months in Korea???

Were you on military duty? Did you get a gamagobulin shot before you left?

32 posted on 01/18/2005 3:02:50 PM PST by VRWCmember ("You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." - Indigo Montoya)
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To: RtWngr

Read the thread carefully, you are not paying attention. Not, no sh*t, but much sh*t!!!!!


33 posted on 01/18/2005 3:05:41 PM PST by U S Army EOD (John Kerry, the mother of all flip floppers.I)
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To: libstripper; Jaxter; martin_fierro
Set the beverages down before viewing . . .
http://www.burningfarts.com/thisoneisrealbb.WMV
34 posted on 01/18/2005 3:19:32 PM PST by BraveMan
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To: El Gran Salseron

All the time, as a wastewater treatment plant operator I've seen tons and tons go out the door to farm fields.


35 posted on 01/18/2005 3:22:54 PM PST by junta (junta, "is one uppity cracker")
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To: VRWCmember

The manure if the process is operating correctly, from alternate sources if it is during startup or if the process fails in some way.


36 posted on 01/18/2005 3:25:34 PM PST by junta (junta, "is one uppity cracker")
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To: VRWCmember

I had several of those things as my butt still hurts.

I happen to be one of the only three living survivors of the "Great Big Shi-Hung-Ni Sh*t Hole Incident of 1968". I had and EOD detachment and once had to clean 27 rounds of 90mm projectiles that had been thrown in a big sh*t hole that was 50 ft. wide, 100 ft. long, 8 ft. deep and completely full of sh*t plus the 27 rounds. It was 92 degress and very humid and there was sh*t everywhere. This was one of the big ones that they trucked in sh*t from Soeul.

Well to make a long story short, we succesfully got all the ammunition out of the sh*t hole but in doing so, all three of us ended up covered in sh*t along with my jeep that was also covered in sh*t. We went back to the compound and I allowed the two men with me to go wash their hands but instucted them to meet me outside. At that time we formed up a small formation of three and I marched them over to the local snack bar so we could share our experience with others. After this, I personally went to the Officer's Club and was able to take over the bar with out any resistance from my fellow officers. After about an hour of this, I was informed that they were going to band together and throw me out. However, they could not get enough volunteers that were willing to put their hands on me. About an hour later, if I remember right, I crawled back to the BOQ. My house boy would not speak to me for about a month after that. Also the bar tender would not speak to me either.


37 posted on 01/18/2005 3:26:42 PM PST by U S Army EOD (John Kerry, the mother of all flip floppers.I)
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To: junta

Do you ever get asked if you, "Got your sh*t together"?


38 posted on 01/18/2005 3:28:55 PM PST by U S Army EOD (John Kerry, the mother of all flip floppers.I)
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To: U S Army EOD

Actually no, but I have been called a "turd herder" a time or two.


39 posted on 01/18/2005 3:33:16 PM PST by junta (junta, "is one uppity cracker")
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To: RtWngr

Hot sh#t.


40 posted on 01/18/2005 3:38:21 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (pun my typo if you dare.)
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