Greenhouse Gas (ghg) Emission Reductions Due to Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Manure

Abstract

Livestock agriculture is a source of greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions in the U.S., and emits one of the most potent greenhouse gases – methane (CH4). Through manure anaerobic digestion technology, a portion of these emissions can be mitigated. The Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI) protocol, released in 2007, is being used by Cornell University to monitor seven on-production farm anaerobic digesters (ADs) in New York State. Among many other requirements, this protocol recommends to use the EPA Climate Leaders methodology to quantify ghg emission reductions attributed to the anaerobic digester (AD) systems being monitored.