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Biopower Energy Program
Convert your industrial, agricultural and municipal organic wastes into electricity and other high-value products. Energy Trust helps fund projects across Oregon that convert wastes into fuel to generate clean, renewable power. In some cases, the waste is burned directly to generate electricity. In others, it is processed to recover methane, which is then burned for electricity production.
Biopower harnesses the solar energy stored in organic matter such as trees, agricultural crops and other organic materials and wastes (biomass). The use of biomass for energy causes no net increase in carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. Using biomass to produce energy is often a way to dispose of waste materials that otherwise would create environmental risks.
- Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Wastes
Agricultural product wastes, residues, manures and other organic materials, and municipal wastewater can be processed in anaerobic digesters to produce high-quality, high-Btu methane that can be used to generate electricity.
- Manure Digesters – For processing animal wastes. Typical sites include dairies and other animal feeding operations.
- Digesters for Agricultural Processing Wastes – Used to digest other agricultural residues or food wastes.
- Municipal Wastewater Digesters – For processing raw municipal wastewater at treatment plants.
- Landfill Gas
Municipal solid waste contains organic materials. Anaerobic bacteria feed on the organic materials when they are covered in a landfill, producing carbon dioxide and methane as a waste product. Landfill gas energy facilities capture this methane and combust it for energy.
- Wood Combustion / Cogeneration (combined heat & power)
Wood waste, slash from forest thinning projects and other renewable sources of woody biomass can be combusted to generate electricity and useful heat.
- Other Waste Energy Capture Technologies
Energy Trust supports other innovative, commercially available technologies that use renewable organic materials to generate electricity.