CBA launches new online tool to help farmers explore biogas production

A new self-assessment tool will help farmers determine if biogas is a good fit for their farm. Available at farmingbiogas.ca, this new online tool has been created by the Canadian Biogas Association and will give Canadian farmers quick insight into whether their farm is a good candidate for biogas.

On-farm biogas systems use anaerobic digestion to recycle livestock manure and crop residue. This process produces biogas which can be turned into renewable electricity or renewable natural gas. Biogas systems help farmers manage on-farm materials, capture methane to reduce their environmental footprint and provide a new source of revenue to the farm.

“A key question farmers ask but can’t easily find the answer to is, ‘is my farm suitable for a viable biogas facility’,” explains Jennifer Green, executive director of the Canadian Biogas Association. “This new self-assessment tool can help farmers assess if there is a fit for their farm and help them learn what factors matter and what questions to ask if they are interested in building an anaerobic digester.”

The new self-assessment tool was developed as a first step for farmers exploring biogas production for their farm. The online tool is easy to navigate and helps farmers evaluate three key areas:

• Do they have a good location for biogas?
• Do they have enough feedstock for biogas?
• Do they have the right market and infrastructure for biogas?

“There are a wide variety of anaerobic digestion systems available, offering a fit for many types of farms. Farmers have many factors to consider as they evaluate their farm’s suitability for a biogas facility, and the new online self-assessment tool will be a great place to start,” says Green.

This initiative was funded in part through the Clean Fuels Awareness project funding administered by Natural Resources Canada.

This article is part of Biofuels Week 2023. To read more articles on biofuels, click here.