Dairy Distillery and Milk Producers Partner for Biofuels

Cindy Zimmerman

The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) and Ontario-based Dairy Distillery recently announced a joint initiative to transform a dairy byproduct into what they say will be “the world’s lowest carbon-intensity ethanol.” Dairy Distillery developed technology to transform a lactose-rich dairy byproduct, called milk permeate into vodka, aptly named Vodkow. This high value use of milk permeate caught the attention of …

dairy, Ethanol, Ethanol News

DFA, Vanguard Renewables Partner On Renewable Energy

Lizzy Schultz

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) and Vanguard Renewables have announced a strategic partnership to help bring anaerobic digestion technology to more farms across the country. Although renewable energy methods, like anaerobic digesters that convert manure to energy, offer solutions to the waste management and sustainability challenges facing the dairy industry, they are not broadly used on American dairy farms. The …

Ag group, biogas, dairy, Waste-to-Energy

Dairy Waste-to-Fuel Digesters Open Cal Fuel Options

John Davis

Renewable energy production in California is getting another boost as dairy biogas digester development is turning waste into fuel. This article from Dairy Cares says the development of the waste-to-fuel converters is being helped by new programs, incentives and partnerships. The California Department of Food and Agriculture recently announced the creation of a new Dairy Digester Research and Development Program, …

biodigester, dairy, Ethanol

Texas A&M Gets Grant for Biomass-to-Energy Project

John Davis

Texas A&M is part of a nearly $16 million nationwide grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in part to fund projects for turning biomass into power. This article from the Stephenville (TX) Empire-Tribune says A&M’s AgriLife Research received money under the USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to help fund a two-year program to demonstrate developing technologies for water …

biomass, dairy, USDA, Waste-to-Energy

REAP Deadline Extends, Creates More Biogas Opps

John Davis

The U.S. Department of Agriculture extends the deadline on a program that could see more farmers, especially those in the dairy industry, turning livestock waste into energy. The deadline to submit for funds under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and Dairy Industry Memorandum of Understanding has been extended to to May 31, 2013. During a teleconference moderated by …

Audio, biodigester, biogas, dairy, USDA

USDA Renews Dairy Energy Pact

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack today renewed a historic agreement with U.S. dairy producers to accelerate the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms, both of which help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses on their operations. The pact extends a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009. USDA support for agricultural and …

Audio, dairy, livestock, USDA, Waste-to-Energy

USDA Funds 244 Agribusiness Projects

Joanna Schroeder

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the funding for 244 projects across the United States that are focused on helping agricultural producers and rural small businesses. The projects will help to lower energy consumption and costs using renewable technologies. The funding is part of USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). “As part of President Obama’s “all of the above” energy strategy, …

Agribusiness, Alternative energy, biomethane, dairy, Electricity, Energy, energy efficiency, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

Vilsack Defends Ethanol at Dairy Expo

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack held a town hall meeting at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin this week and took questions from the audience, one of which concerned ethanol and the impact it has had on livestock producers. The questioner, who was from California, said ethanol was “not a very popular word” with dairy farmers in her state. “Where …

advanced biofuels, Audio, corn, dairy, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, feedstocks, livestock, livestock feed, USDA

Waste to Biogas Mapping Tool Launched

Joanna Schroeder

An online “waste to biogas” mapping tool has been launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pacific Southwest Region. The tool maps energy projects that use organic waste as a feedstock. The maps link food and other biodegradable waste sources with facilities such as wastewater treatment plants that produce energy. “This innovative mapping tool, the first of its kind …

biogas, dairy, Electricity, Energy, Waste-to-Energy

Research Shows Value of Ethanol Co-Product for Dairy

Cindy Zimmerman

Research by a South Dakota State University dairy science student shows the energy value of the ethanol co-product distillers grains (DDGS) in dairy feed. Sanjeewa Ranathunga was recognized for his research at the recent annual meeting of the Midwest American Dairy Science Association meetings with the Young Dairy Scholars Award. Ranathunga is in the final stages of his Ph.D. program …

dairy, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News