A first-of-its-kind biofuel conversion facility is coming to Dane County, county executive Joe Parisi said at a press conference Thursday at the county landfill.
The facility is a joint project between the county, Cornerstone Engineering, Clean Fuel Partners and BioFerm Energy. The goal of the new conversion project is to convert cow manure and garbage from the city landfill into biofuel.
The project will ultimately cost the county $25 million but Parisi hopes it will assist in preventing manure and waste from running off into local bodies of water.
The facility is the latest development in the county’s ongoing commitment to cleaning up area bodies of water. Prior to Thursday’s ceremony, Dane County announced a joint venture with the City of Madison on the construction of East Towne Pond, a collection basin which will help prevent runoff from flowing into adjacent lakes.
“Taking cow manure and garbage and turning it into vehicle fuel is good for the air we breathe, the waters we fish and swim in, and county taxpayers,” Parisi said in a press release. “Dane County is committed to accelerating work to clean up our lakes and financing efforts to produce renewable energy, and this project does both.”
Parisi said the county also hopes the facility will assist in energy production, as methane from manure can be used to power vehicles in place of traditional fuels.
The county believes the project will help to cut thousands of tons of emissions from traditional fuel sources, as well as provide it with enough revenue to make a profit on its investment in a few years.
