ELLINGTON, Conn. — A farm in Ellington made history Thursday went it became the first in the state to install a methane digester that converts cow manure – yes, cow poop – into natural gas.
This project at Oakridge Dairy Farm has been years in the making.
The new machinery they're using, called a methane digester, takes cow manure and converts it into a renewable natural gas that will be put into a pipeline to help run cars and heat homes in Connecticut. It is expected to run between 800 to 900 cars for a year worth of gas production.
“Five cows produce enough gas to run one car,” said dairy farmer Seth Bahler.
About 70,000 gallons of manure per day go into the methane digester. The farm is expected to send the first shipment of natural gas in October.
A fifth-generation dairy farmer, Bahler said the project is great for the state and great for the environment. He said it will help reduce the farm’s carbon footprint and help keep homes and cars running greener.
“It’s just huge for us as a farm and Connecticut and overall getting carbon neutral in the future,” Bahler said.
Lindsey Kane is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lkane@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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