Does Anaerobic Digestion Solve the Problem?
A problem must be recognized before it can be solved. Farms and governments are recognizing the need for control of point source and non-point discharge from animal production. Controls cost money. Digesters make money for the farm from heat or electricity, reduced odor, reducedflies, reduced pathogens, killed weed seeds, and improved fertilizer values. Therefore, anaerobic digestion can be a solution to the problem. Market Advantages The long term analysis is, an anaerobic digester will improve the profitability of most, but not all farms. In the future, the advantages of the systems will be more fully appreciated. There are hundreds more digesters today than there were 10 years ago. The farming industry has embraced the technology as a lower cost alternative for pollution control and many farms will continue to do so. When the technology is compared with alternatives, farmers realize that the advantages exist. If farms in all countries must meet similar pollution control regulations,
