Tools
AgSTAR is committed to helping livestock facilities across the U.S. realize the benefits that anaerobic digestion offers and overcome the barriers limiting the adoption of biogas recovery technologies. The following pages contain key information required to make an informed business decision regarding the installation of a biogas recovery system.
Photo: Quasar energy group
Project Development
To determine whether a facility is a candidate for a biogas recovery system and the appropriate technology for that site, visit the Project Development page. It also contains information on the evaluation of a system's performance.
Experts
Organizations such as state energy offices, USDA field offices, university programs, and non-government organizations that can provide technical, financial, and planning assistance for the development of anaerobic digester systems and biogas utilization technologies are listed on the Experts page.
Funding
The Funding page provides information about programs and strategies, such as low-interest loans, grants, and tax incentives that can help parties interested in implementing anaerobic digestion technology overcome financial barriers to project development.
Industry Directory
AgSTAR maintains an Industry Directory to help farm owners and others interested in on-farm biogas recovery systems identify appropriate consultants, project developers, energy services, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and commodity organizations. It provides company descriptions and contact information for each listed business.
Market Opportunities
AgSTAR's assessment of the market potential for biogas energy projects at swine and dairy farms in the United States can be found on the Market Opportunities page. For the top ten swine and dairy states, the guide characterizes the sizes and types of operations where biogas projects are technically feasible, along with estimates of potential methane production, electricity generation, and greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Photo: Michigan State University's Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center, Michigan State University
Research
Colleges and universities across the country are doing great work to advance the use of anaerobic digesters on farms. AgSTAR has put together a sample of their work on the Research Web page.