Vir-Clar Farms provides Fond du Lac area with renewable energy
From an article in the Fond du Lac Reporter:
Vir-Clar Farms, a 1,200-cow dairy farm operation near Fond du Lac, is now providing renewable energy generated by methane gas from its anaerobic digester to Second Nature, Alliant Energy’s green energy program.
The anaerobic digester heats the manure to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The methane and carbon dioxide from the manure is piped to a Caterpillar motor and generator to create electricity, according to an Alliant Energy press release.
Gary Boyke, owner of Vir-Clar Farms, said his family originally made the decision to install an anaerobic digester to control manure odor as they continued to expand their herd.
“But the chance to sell renewable energy and significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions reflected our belief in environmental responsibility,” he said.
Another benefit of the anaerobic digester is the ability to use the heat from the digester’s engines to warm several farm buildings and all the water for the calf-feeding operation.
