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Turning hog waste into electricity

A North Carolina-based energy company is using methane gas derived from hog waste to generate electricity.

Duke Energy spokesman Randy Wheeless says the gas is captured from lagoons in the region.

“They’ll capture that methane gas, convert it to pipeline-quality, which will be injected into a natural gas pipeline and delivered to some of our nearby power plants where we can burn for electricity.”

Wheeless tells Brownfield he’s not aware of any other energy company in the U.S. using methane in this manner.

North Carolina, one of the top pork-producing states in the U.S., calls for specific compliance targets for swine waste under its Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard.

For Duke Energy, Wheeless says that’s roughly .2 percent of retail sales.

“So that’s a very small piece, but still it’s important.  We’ve had trouble meeting (the target) in the last few years because the technology just hasn’t been there to get it done in a cost-effective manner.  But we’re starting to see some breakthroughs there.”

Wheeless says the carbon-neutral renewable electricity generated from the methane remains more expensive than many traditional sources like coal and natural gas, but the technology is becoming more efficient.