Features Applications Swine
Canadian government gives $2.63 million to digester

April 13, 2010,
Ridgetown, Ont – The days of unpleasant odors from swine manure being spread on
the fields at Ridgetown Campus are numbered.
April 13, 2010,
Ridgetown, Ont – The days of unpleasant odors from swine manure being spread on
the fields at Ridgetown Campus are numbered.

With an estimated
completion date of March 2011, the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus will
start using swine manure as feedstock for a $3.4 million anaerobic digester to
create electricity, water and nutrients. A major chunk of the costs of the
digester will be funded by the federal government’s Economic Development Agency
(FedDEv Ontario).

The announcement about
the $2.63 million federal contribution to the Ridgetown pilot plant digester
was made Friday, April 9, 2010.

Dr. Art Schaafsma,
director at Ridgetown, welcomed the federal contribution to the pilot plant
project. In explaining the concept to an audience of local bio-energy
supporters, Schaafsma described this project at a “green energy sandbox” where
scientists can conduct tests and demonstrate new ideas to others wishing to
learn and build their own digesters.

The feedstock will be
mostly swine manure from the nearby hog barns on campus plus food wastes from
area canning factories and glycerin, a by-product of the campus’ bio-diesel
plant located next door. Schaafsma estimated the power output will be 250 kw
plus. Also coming off the process will be water and digestate, which will be
spread on the farm land to feed crops.