The following post is related to the Center’s work on a Health Impact Assessment of a proposed biomass-powered energy facility in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  The facility was proposed as a potential remedy to the issue of nutrient concentration related to trends in livestock production.  Each post in the series describes one particular aspect of interest from the Center’s analysis. 

Small-Scale, Poultry Litter-to-Energy Technologies

The findings of our HIA are specific to the health impacts of a large-scale, poultry litter-to-energy facility. However, this is not the only potential option for addressing issues of nutrient concentration. Small-scale, poultry litter-to-energy units are also available for purchase that can be used by a single farm or a cooperative of farms. The energy produced by these units could replace some of the energy costs necessary for poultry production.

One of the advantages these units potentially hold over a large-scale facility is that they would reduce the amount of litter necessary to be burned, potentially resulting in a reduction of pollutants. In addition, there may be some air quality benefits from having a small amount of litter burned over a vast area, rather than a large amount burned in one spot. This may reduce the concentration of air pollutants.

Small-scale units may not be completely exempt from regulation by state or local agencies but if the regulations are too strict, these units probably will not be adopted. Most growers cannot afford some standard emissions controls that large-scale facilities have such as 24-hour monitoring or a tall smoke stack so without further study, it is unclear if small-scale units are better for air quality than a large-scale facility.

Perspective of Valley Poultry Growers

Poultry growers were optimistic about the potential for these smaller units. The rising cost of propane—the primary fuel used in poultry production—was one of the more frequently cited concerns for the future and if a small-scale, poultry litter-to-energy unit can replace that cost, they probably would be adopted.

However, in addition to paying for itself, a small-scale unit would also likely have to make up for the additional work necessary to operate the technology and convert litter to energy. Selling litter as a fertilizer does not take much effort for the poultry growers and if they are getting a good price for it, there is little reason to change to a process in which they are responsible for moving litter throughout their farm, operating new machinery, and complying with new regulations.

This HIA does not specifically address the health implications of small-scale poultry litter-to-energy units. Because they may potentially be adopted by growers in the area, we recommend that the associated health impacts also be studied as they were for a large-scale facility.