Power from pig manure has proven to be an innovative solution to several farm challenges for a unique hog farm in rural Lillington, N.C.
This report explores how Butler Farms installed lagoon covers for animal waste to not only reduce odors and eliminate rainwater ingress, but also to capture biogas to utilize as a renewable energy resource.
Butler Farms is a sustainability-focused finishing operation, meaning young feeder pigs are brought in and fed for about 20 weeks until they are ready for market. Looking for ways to lessen the farm’s impact on neighbors and the environment, owner Tom Butler first installed the covers in 2008.
And in 2017, the system got an upgrade as Butler Farms opted to blend its existing biogas and power generation systems into a new microgrid in partnership with North Carolina’s electric cooperatives.
PowerSecure, a Southern Company subsidiary, was chosen as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor.
Download the report to learn more about how PowerSecure manufactured custom enclosures, and packaged and installed the individual Butler Farms microgrid components into a fully functioning battery storage system and separate controller.