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Turning cow manure into electricity

June 11, 2013, Visalia, CA – For the past three decades, dairy farmer Ron Koetsier has tried unsuccessfully to turn the manure from his 1,200 cows into energy to power his 450-acre farm in Visalia.

He installed a nearly $1-million renewable energy system in 1985 that used the methane from manure to create electricity for his farm. In 2002, he replaced that system with newer technology, but couldn’t meet air-quality standards. He shut down the system in 2009.

But in a few weeks, Koetsier’s renewable-energy efforts will get a reboot as a new company replaces his current system with one that is expected to satisfy strict air standards in the highly polluted San Joaquin Valley. READ MORE