Category: Anaerobic Digestion

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Anaerobic Digestion on the Farm Conference 2026

Research, Policy, Industry, and Innovation

9-11 June, 2026, State College, PA

About the Conference:

Anaerobic digestion on the farm has experienced a surge of interest and activity, owing to a variety of factors such as technology developments, public support, and increased awareness of its potential for energy production, rural livelihoods, ecosystem services, nutrient management, and other impacts.  As the science, technology, and policy develop in this space, new understanding is emerging as to the benefits vs. drawbacks, real vs. perceived …

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Renewable Natural Gas from Manure and Grasses: Business Opportunity Plan for “Sleeping Squirrel Farm”

Authors: Daniel Ciolkosz, Michael, Hile, Bill Lazarus, and Gary Musgrave, Penn State Extension

Overview:

This business opportunity plan describes the steps involved in establishing an on-farm anaerobic digester that produces biogas from a combination of manure and perennial grass (in this case, switchgrass), and sells it as Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for injection into an adjacent pipeline. The overall configuration of the facility is described, sizes and capacities of major equipment are laid out, and estimated costs along with a …

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Grass to Gas Winter Webinar Series 2023-24, 24-25

Innovating a New Future for Anaerobic Digestion

Join us for monthly webinars on the emerging science that sits at the juncture of Renewable Natural Gas, Anaerobic Digestion, and Regenerative Agriculture.

Learn from thought leaders who are expanding what is known about transforming our agricultural sector in terms of its energy, economic, and ecological performance.

Engage in discussion about new discoveries about integrating biogas and regenerative agriculture together into the rural economy.

Who Should Attend?

All are welcome!  These webinars will be presenting new and emerging research in …

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Grass To Gas Anaerobic Digestion Q&A

This page lists questions and answers from the C-Change GrassToGas project’s PA Extension newsletter.  To be added to the newsletter mailing list, contact GrassToGas@psu.edu.

1. Question: Is switchgrass a good feedstock for biogas digesters?

Answer: Not usually. Anaerobic digestion involves microscopic organisms that eat energy-rich components such as sugars. Lignocellulosic biomass, such as switchgrass, contains sugars, but is structured in a way that specifically prevents easy access to its energy-rich components. Because of the limited accessibility to the energy-rich …

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Grass To Gas project

What is it?

The Grass-to-gas project is a 5-year, USDA-funded project that carries out research, extension, and education programs aimed at developing new approaches to Anaerobic Digestion that are economically beneficial to farmers and ecologically beneficial to farms.

Participants:

The project is led by Iowa State University and Penn State University, with a team of partner farmers and companies all working together to grow this opportunity.

Features:

Demonstration Farms, where perennial grass production, cover crops, and their use in biogas …

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Anaerobic Digestion

Bioenergy Curriculum graphic

This Anaerobic Digestion module is part of the Biomass Energy Training Curriculum, 13 modules developed through a Southern SARE grant and collaboration between Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee, eXtension.org, and USDA-Rural Development. While it is written as a training guide for TN producers, much of the information is applicable throughout the Southeastern US region.

This curriculum is designed to increase the knowledge base of extension agents and local officials on biomass energy; so that they may, in

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Biomass Energy Training Curriculum – TN

Bioenergy Curriculum graphic
 
This curriculum  provides training on biomass energy to extension agents and local officials so that they may deliver this information to their stakeholders. While it is written as a training guide for TN, much of the information is applicable throughout the Southeastern US region.
 

This curriculum was developed through a Southern SARE grant and collaboration between Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee, eXtension.org, and USDA-Rural Development. 

 

Link to the full TN Biomass Energy Training Curriculum (a 254 page downloadable

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Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas

 

Farm Energy IQ logo

This Biogas module provides reasonable expectations for investing in on-farm bio-digesters to convert animal waste to process heat and/or electricity. Learn how to calculate the number of animals needed to build a cost effective system.

Link to all of the Northeast Farm Energy IQ Curriculum, developed by Extension specialists from Penn State, Rutgers and University of Vermont.

This is part of the On Farm Energy Production Curriculum Series: 

Bioenergy Feedstock Production | Biodiesel and SVO | Biogas | Wood …

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Transformation and Agronomic Use of Nutrients From Digester Effluent

Table of Contents

Anaerobic Digestion Nutrient Transformations

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the process in which organic compounds are broken down by naturally occurring bacteria, including methanogenic microorganisms under oxygen free conditions, transforming organic matter into biogas (methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide) (Dugba and Zhang, 1999; AgSTAR, 2010b). The end products of this process include biogas, a renewable …

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Cayuga County Manure Digester Virtual Tour

livestock and poultry environmental learning center logo with cow, pig, and chicken sillhouettes over a map of the U.S. with three circling arrows

Anaerobic digestion is a manure treatment system that produces biogas. There are many benefits of digestion such as reductions in: odor, pathogens, and greenhouse gases (climate change). Producing biogas from manure yields useful by-products.  The economics of digestion are dependent on state energy policies and co-digestion of off-farm wastes to generate revenue.

Cayuga County Regional Digester (New York)

This virtual tour highlights the Cayuga County Soil & Water Conservation District regional digester. This facility receives …

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