13 months ago
MODESTO, CA - John Fiscalini has always tried to recycle. The manure from his dairy has made great fertilizer on the corn he grows. Now he's getting serious.
By the end of the month, Fiscalini intends to power his dairy and cheese-making operation with methane from that manure.
"We will have enough electricity to run our entire dairy farm, our cheese plant and sell an amount equal to that back to the grid and the Modesto Irrigation District," Fiscalini said.
Other dairies have had the ability to capture methane gas from manure, but Fiscalini is going high tech with his efforts.
"The methane digesters we built are above-ground and heated to 100 degrees. It's much more efficient. It breaks down the manure faster and produces a lot more methane," he said.
The manure will be collected and stored in the large digester tanks. The methane will be shipped by underground pipe to an engine, which will power a generator and create electricity.
Fiscalini's excitement about the project is countered by his frustration over getting the work done. He said state and local agencies have provided so many hurdles, and driven the cost so high, he wouldn't do it all over again.
"If I had the opportunity to do it over, given all the frustration, I would not do it," said Fiscalini.
The price of the power plant is now at about $4 million. Fiscalini expected it to cost $2 million. He did receive grants that will end up covering about 40 percent of the cost.
News10/KXTV
