February 23, 2007

North Carolina to turn hog waste into electricity
 

The North Carolina Pork Council (NCPC) is evaluating the feasibility of making electricity from pig waste.

Raleigh-based utility Progress Energy has decided to render its support to the pilot project.

Pig farms across the state have been urged to participate in the initiative to meet the energy needs of consumers statewide.

The study will be done with Smithfield Foods' hog production subsidiary, Murphy-Brown.

This aim is to determine whether it would be possible for producers to sell energy at a rate that allows them to justify the capital investment and cover the operating expenses for such projects, said R C Hunt, NCPC president.

If approved, Progress Energy would purchase the electricity generated at about US$0.18 per kilowatt-hour, much more than the approximately US$0.05 per hour usually paid.

North Carolina is home to some of the nation's largest hog producers for whom turning hog waste into fuel would eliminate a continuing environmental concern created by waste accumulation.