Guide to Anaerobic Digesters

As of October 2009, AgSTAR estimates that there are 140 anaerobic digester systems operating at commercial livestock farms in the United States.  

Number of Operating Digesters
(October 2009)

Select a state for a list of operational digester projects.

Total farm-scale projects: 127
Total regional/centralized projects: 13

Total Energy Production
(October 2009)

Select a state for a list of operational digester projects.

Numbers represent total energy production in MWh equivalent

Select a Project Name for more details.

Of these operational projects, 126 generate electrical or thermal energy from the captured biogas. The electricity projects produce about 323,000 MWh annually, and boiler projects, pipeline injection, and other energy projects generate an additional 55,500 MWh equivalent per year. Other projects flare the captured gas to reduce methane emissions and control odor.

In total, the combustion of biogas at the digesters prevents the direct emission of about 38,600 metric tons of methane annually (811,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent). In addition, the combustion of biogas displaces the use of fossil fuels for energy generation, thus achieving additional emissions reductions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants.

Many of the operational, planned and under construction digester systems included in the database were funded in part by USDA Rural Development through the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills.

Anaerobic Digester Database
(last updated October 2009)

The Excel spreadsheets below provide basic information for anaerobic digester systems in the United States. The spreadsheets show projects in the following stages: planning, construction, operational, shutdown, and cancelled. Download XLS viewer.

• Anaerobic digesters, sorted by operational status and by state (XLS, 116KB)
• Operational anaerobic digesters, sorted by state (XLS, 74KB)
  • Dairy projects (XLS, 66KB)
  • Swine projects (XLS, 29KB)
  • Beef cattle (XLS, 38KB)
  • Poultry (XLS, 24KB)

These data were compiled from a variety of sources. AgSTAR cannot guarantee the accuracy of these data. AgSTAR encourages farm operators, project developers, financers, and others involved in the development of farm digester projects to provide updates and corrections to these data by contacting AgSTAR.

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