Manure Gives Gas to California Homes

It seems that renewable energy stinks.

This week, Pacific Gas & Electric and BioEnergy Solutions opened a pipeline to transfer manure-generated gas. The gas is produced through the use of "digesters", machines that convert manure into gas. This gas, after being refined and separated, is then sent to PG&E, where they plan to use it to run their electrical plant as well as help give natural gas to homes. The process all starts at Vintage Dairy, a 5,000-cow farm.

Apparently the "Vintage Dairy facility is expected to provide enough gas for 1,200 homes." Additionally, BioEnergy expects to "deliver 3 billion cubic feet of gas to PG&E a year, enough gas for 50,000 homes." While being a great renewable energy resource, the process has the added benefit of protecting the environment, since "manure storage facilities are a source of groundwater pollution as well as greenhouse gases".

For more about the "cow power" process, read up on it at CNET.