News
Dairy digester workshop planned for Washington

November 6, 2008, Sunnyside, WA –
Researchers and government officials in Washington State are hosting a
Northwest Dairy Digester Workshop and tour November 18, starting from the
Snipes Mountain Brewery and Restaurant in Sunnyside, Wash.

November 6, 2008, Sunnyside, WA – Increasing desire for renewable energy and greater environmental protection, and the growth of the livestock industry, has created the atmosphere for the viability and growth of anaerobic digester systems in the Northwest.

With this in mind, researchers and government officials in Washington State are hosting a Northwest Dairy Digester Workshop and optional tour November 18, starting from the Snipes Mountain Brewery and Restaurant in Sunnyside, Wash.

The workshop, hosted by AgSTAR, Washington State Department of Agriculture, and WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, will provide a broad overview of anaerobic digestion of livestock manure and other related issues. Workshop speakers include representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. EPA, Washington State University, plus other experts in anaerobic digester technologies, including project developers.

After the workshop, attendees are invited to visit the George DeRuyter and Sons Dairy in nearby Outlook, Wash. The dairy is home to approximately 4,500 cows and 1,000 heifers housed in two farm complexes. Its anaerobic digester project, operational since 2006, is a two-stage mixed-plug flow system. The project is generating electricity and has a nameplate capacity of 1.2 megawatts.

The workshop is free of charge, but there is an optional $10 fee for those wishing to enjoy the lunch buffet.

Online registration closes at noon (PST), November 13, 2008. Limited on-site registration may be available the day of the event, but space is not guaranteed.

Anyone with questions about the workshop are asked to e-mail agstar@erg.com or leave a message with ERG conference registration services at 781-674-7374.