Background on Anaerobic Digestion at the Farm

Introduction Over the past several years there has been significant interest in adopting on-farm manure anaerobic digesters in Ontario. The potential for sustainable energy production, while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mitigating pathogens and odours, and increasing ionized nutrients in the digestate, has made anaerobic digestion an attractive option for manure management. The biogas produced from the anaerobic digester can be used to fuel an electric cogenerator, where the electricity produced is sold to the grid and waste heat recovered to be used on the farm. The codigestion of manure with organic rich substrates can offer significantly increased biogas yields. Other advantages associated with the digestion of manure include improving the fertilizer value of the digested substrates (digestate), along with reduced odours and pathogens. Credit: Heinzle Family Figure 1. Terryland Farms Digester (St. Eugene, ON)