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Cowpower: The Unexpected Clean Energy Source Powering 15,000 Vehicles Annually

California is known for its beautiful landscapes, leadership in innovation and progressive approach to sustainability. One group paving the way for sustainable innovation that may surprise you is the state’s dairy farmers who are reducing greenhouse gas emissions by putting cowpower, or cow poop, to good use by converting it into clean renewable fuels. Thanks to this powerful innovation, California’s dairy farms are on a path to “climate neutrality,” or when operations no longer contribute to incremental climate warming.

Cow manure is a reality of dairy farming that California farmers are addressing in innovative ways. Stored in ponds, farmers apply this nutrient rich manure water to their crops. Anaerobic digesters on a growing number of California family dairy farms offer an opportunity to transform manure into clean, renewable natural gas (RNG), electricity and hydrogen fuel to power a more sustainable future.

California’s 227 dairy digester projects currently harness methane from the manure on 255 dairy farms. Roughly 120 of these are operational, while the rest are in development.

California’s dairy digester projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 55 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) over the next 25 years. That’s equivalent to removing the greenhouse gas emissions from over 500,000 passenger vehicles per year.

California is the first region in the world to commit to reducing methane emissions from dairy manure by 40%, and its dairy farms are on track to meet this target. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, California dairies are more than halfway towards that goal with current projects that will result in a 25% reduction in manure-related methane emissions from a 2013 baseline.

Furthermore, California’s dairy digester program has contributed to nearly a quarter of greenhouse gas reductions achieved across the state’s 78 climate program investments. This is not only reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels, but the state’s digesters also have significant potential to reduce other types of emissions and improve air quality overall.

Near-zero emission vehicles reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by at least 90% and diesel particulate matter by 100% compared to heavy-duty trucks or buses powered with diesel. California Bioenergy (CalBio), the leading developer of dairy digesters in California, reports that its 50+ active digester projects reduce an estimated 333 tons of particulate matter annually. These projects capture and eliminate hydrogen sulfide, improving local air quality and reducing odor.

Replacing diesel with carbon-negative RNG is a significant step toward curbing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which contributes to over half of California’s total emissions. California dairy farms currently produce enough RNG and renewable electricity to power at least 15,000 vehicles annually, replacing petroleum-based fuels for low emission trucks, buses and cars.

“We operate many heavy-duty trucks that run up and down the west coast and our customers need reliable deliveries,” said Kevin Keeney, President of Food Express, a bulk transportation company for commodities including corn starch and bakery flour. “Operating sustainably is critical to Food Express, which is why we operate a fleet of 89 heavy-duty trucks on RNG. Today, no other clean alternative compares to the reliability and ease of fueling with RNG, not to mention the significant reduction in carbon emissions.”

Digesters bring other human benefits, by creating hundreds of well-paid, technical construction and engineering jobs that support ongoing operations and maintenance across the industry. CalBio estimates that by the time digester development has doubled – expected by 2027 – projects will bring approximately 500 full-time dairy digester jobs to California.

California’s dairy digester projects are cutting emissions, improving air quality, powering transportation and contributing to job growth in the Golden State.

And this is just the start.

More information can be found here: https://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/sustainability/