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Governor Larry Hogan Tours New Animal Waste Technology Project in Dorchester County

Photo Courtesy of Governor’s Press Office

RHODESDALE, MD – Governor Larry Hogan and Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder today toured the Murphy family’s Double Trouble Farm – the first Maryland poultry operation to install cutting-edge technology that converts poultry litter to energy. The Maryland Department of Agriculture awarded a $970,000 animal waste technology grant to Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc (BHSL) for the manure-to-energy project and an additional $139,000 to monitor its operation for one year.

“I am proud to recognize the Murphy family for bringing this innovative technology to Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “I commend the Murphy’s and the entire Double Trouble Farm team for leading the way for farmers to improve water quality, increase energy independence, and improve animal waste management to ensure the sustainability of animal agriculture in our state.”

Maryland’s Animal Waste Technology Fund is a grant program that provides seed funding to companies that demonstrate innovative technologies to manage or repurpose manure resources. These technologies generate energy from animal manure, reduce on-farm waste streams, and repurpose manure by creating marketable fertilizer and other products and by-products. To date, the program has approved $3.7 million in grants to six projects.  

“Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc, with the support of Mountaire, has adapted innovative manure management technology to benefit the poultry industry and the Murphy family’s farm. The system utilizes poultry litter as a feedstock by converting it to energy to heat the farm’s chicken houses and generate electricity,” said Secretary Bartenfelder. “A great deal of credit goes to the Murphy family for taking the time and risk involved in being the test case for a promising new way of doing business.”

This project has the following benefits:

  • Reduced environmental impact: A reduction in the potential environmental impact of manure resources
  • Lower energy costs: A reduction in energy costs through using heat from the manure as a source for heating poultry houses
  • Improved animal welfare: Improved animal welfare, with improved health and reduced risk of diseases
  • Improved performance: Faster growth – poultry reaching target weight more quickly
  • Additional revenue: Potential expansion of revenue streams – earnings from the sale of excess electricity and a fertilizer by-product

“I am excited that a unique piece of technology designed in Ireland is going to transform US poultry production and play a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact of the industry on the Chesapeake Bay,” Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc. Chairman Denis Brosnan. “I hope this pilot project is the start of a broader initiative to turn poultry manure from a potential pollutant into a valuable source of energy.”

Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc. will use electricity generating technology (fluidized bed combustion) to process poultry litter into energy for heating two of four poultry houses during the demonstration period. The system is projected to generate 526 megawatts of electricity per year. Adding heat to poultry houses has been proven at other sites to improve the flock growth rate and overall bird health. These benefits will enhance potential profit margins, reduce payback period for the technology, and improve the likelihood of transferability to other poultry operations. The Murphys are working with BHSL to explore markets for the high-phosphorus ash by-product including Maryland fertilizer companies. As a result of energy production and marketing the ash, 90 percent of nutrients in the poultry litter produced by 14 poultry houses will have alternative uses.

“Mountaire is excited about the potential that new alternative use technologies for litter bring to the poultry industry,” said Mountaire Director of Housing and Feed Milling Bill Massey. “We will continue to work with the Murphys, MDA and BHSL on this manure to energy project. Our company and our industry continue to look for solutions to be good environmental stewards.”

The Murphy’s farm was featured on Maryland Public Television’s Maryland Farm & Harvest on January 24, 2017. Learn more about the project by watching online at http://video.mpt.tv/video/2365938537 (segment starts at minute 2:25).

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Contact Information

If you have any questions, need additional information or would like to arrange an interview, please contact:
Jessica Hackett
Director of Communications
Telephone: 410-841-5888

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