Apr 30 2008
Small to large scale farms across the U.S. may soon find it easier to finance new farm waste energy systems thanks to a partnership between NativeEnergy and Agrilab -- two companies focused on reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. NativeEnergy, an international marketer of high quality carbon offsets and renewable energy credits (RECs), will work with Agrilab to identify and quantify the various greenhouse gas reductions created from Agrilab's systems; while also evaluating new opportunities to leverage the carbon market and facilitate widespread implementation of new renewable energy projects.
Composting generates steam vapor, that when captured can be used to heat hot water and farm buildings. Agrilab's system captures and uses that steam, and transforms the composted material into a high-grade, nutrient-rich soil amendment which can be used by the farm or sold as quality compost.
Agrilab's system creates multiple benefits, including more effective waste or manure management, decreased dependence on fossil fuels for heat, decreased use of synthetic fertilizer, reduced nutrient run-off into local or regional watersheds, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from manure storage and from chemicals in synthetic fertilizer. Agrilab's systems can be used by bovine, equine, crop, and food processing operations, as well as greenhouses.
"The first farm to use this new heat transfer technology serves as a wonderful prototype to having successfully generated thermal energy in the form of hot water," says Josh Nelson of Agrilab Technologies. "Our new partnership with NativeEnergy will ultimately help Agrilab connect with smaller farms, and by providing their 'help build' model of financing, we can increasingly bring new renewable energy projects to the finish line."
Working directly with Agrilab, NativeEnergy will provide its expertise in the carbon market to study and quantify the greenhouse gas reductions created by the aerobic composting system and other components of the projects. By purchasing the verified emissions reductions that will be generated by these new farm projects, NativeEnergy, through the support of its clients, will help cover any shortfall in the financing of these systems.
"NativeEnergy's unique financing model provides organizations and individuals the opportunity to contribute directly to the construction of specific new renewable energy projects like digesters," says Tom Boucher, President and CEO of Native Energy. "By partnering with Agrilab, we now expect to have more projects to offer our clients who want to help new renewable energy projects become a reality."
Farmers, especially livestock farmers, interested in learning more about converting farm waste into clean energy through aerobic composting systems are encouraged to visit http://www.agrilab.ca.
NativeEnergy leverages market demand for carbon offsets to bring on line new Native American, family farmer and community-owned renewable energy projects, NativeEnergy offers third party verified and certified renewable energy credits and offsets from a variety of operating projects across America and internationally. Through its novel approach of bringing upfront payment to renewable projects for the estimated future carbon offsets, Native Energy enables its clients to help directly finance the construction of specific new wind farms and other renewable energy projects. NativeEnergy continues to focus on real, additional offsets that provide both an environmental and a social benefit, for both people and planet. More information is available at http://www.nativeenergy.com.