This Cattle Feedlot Turns Manure Into 1.2 Million MMBtu of Natural Gas a Year

A new energy initiative in Broken Bow, Nebraska, has commenced construction on a facility designed to convert livestock waste into pipeline-quality fuel. According to OilPrice.com, the project involves the installation of eight anaerobic digesters at the Adams Land & Cattle feedlot. Once operational, the site is expected to produce approximately 1.2 million MMBtu of renewable natural gas every year, serving both domestic energy needs and the international maritime shipping sector.

Neogenyx Fuels, the owner of the facility, intends for the project to support the production of bio-LNG for global markets. The company’s CEO noted that the facility connects American agriculture to the rising international demand for energy sources with lower carbon footprints. Proponents of the technology, including the Environmental Protection Agency, suggest that biogas recovery systems offer farmers a way to diversify their revenue while enhancing energy independence in rural regions.

The project is estimated to lower greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 63,700 metric tons per year. By capturing methane that would otherwise enter the atmosphere, the facility aims to achieve a negative carbon intensity rating. However, some critics argue that such programs may encourage the expansion of large-scale cattle operations, potentially leading to increased air and water pollution from liquid manure storage despite the emissions benefits provided by the digesters.