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Turning cow and hog manure into an energy source isn’t a new idea, but entrepreneur and farmer Mark Herres hopes to make it a successful one on his 100-acre farm in southwest Ohio.

Herres plans to build his advanced farming organic waste to energy system, utilizing the zero oxygen anaerobic process along with his additional designs to convert and divert food waste from food producers to energy while producing an organic dry fertilizer as the byproduct. This eliminates the odors and open lagoon storage process which has caused problems in the past. He named his advanced farming operation Full Circle Farming Energy LLC.

“It’s the only renewable energy source that works 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Herres, who’s been involved with renewable energy efforts for two decades and has been a renewable project developer, general contractor and holds a range of certifications including licensed electrician, plumber/HVAC and a project designer during more than 40 years of self-employment.

He and his wife, Brandi, bought their farm two years ago with an eye toward farming its orchards and berries as well as its sweet corn and soybean fields. Herres’ grandparents were Ohio farmers, and he spent much of his childhood on their farms along the Little Miami River basin.

In addition to farming, Herres wanted to build his modified anaerobic design, which he prefers to call an advanced farming organic waste to energy system, on the farm. He said he can sidestep problems some have had with these types of systems because he’s modified the design and how they can be run. When you drive by his project it will look like a rural farm with farm equipment running the operation.

The technology has plenty of supporters around the world, including Germany, where 10,000 anaerobic projects were in operation in 2022 compared to 2,300 in the United States, and most are located at wastewater treatment plants.

One aim of this technology is to reduce methane emissions from landfills and hog and dairy operations producing manure with open air exposure and potential runoff issues. When organic farm manure is mixed with food waste in a closed loop oxygen-free system, it produces clean renewable natural gas. The left over by-product is rich organic soil fertilizer amendments and animal bedding.

Herres said a nearby farm has 19,000 cows and hogs; that’s where he plans to get his manure for his project in exchange for organic fertilizer produced from his system. He said a number of grocery stores and large-scale food manufacturers have either verbally committed or provided letters of interest to provide the food waste feedstock to meet their sustainability goals which could include everything from peelings from potatoes, to fats, oil and grease, to unusable foods.

As of July, Herres was awaiting approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the project, which will use a mixture of manure and organic food waste for feedstock.

“Along with farmers, businesses, industries and local governments are looking at waste -to-energy technology,” said Dale Arnold, OFBF director of energy, utility and local government policy. Collaborative efforts allow communities to manage organic byproducts, create energy and explore other local benefits, Arnold said.

Help from Ohio Farm Bureau

Ohio Farm Bureau’s energy partner, Viridi, the Medina-based company that administers the Farm Bureau Energy Program, helped Herres organize and assemble the feasibility study submitted to USDA.

Viridi President Kevin Lauterjung said his company has experience with biomass projects and noted that Herres is very knowledgeable about the entire process and the environmental benefits.

“The USDA funds many types of energy efficiency and sustainable energy generation projects and is always looking for more innovative projects like this one,” Lauterjung said.
The waste-to-energy system would be completely encapsulated and can process 200 tons of material a day, Herres said. The $14 million cost would be shared with the USDA along with grants for its construction, and Herres financing the remaining, he said.

Herres said he already has businesses interested in buying the renewable natural gas produced from his facility and he plans to use the digestate-enriched fertilizer on his own farm and give away remaining fertilizer to rural farming neighbors. If all goes as planned, he said he hopes construction of the system will begin this fall and it’ll be up and running in summer of 2025.

Once it is operational, he plans to provide an educational curriculum to invite high school and college students along with FFA members to his farm to learn about his advanced farming waste to energy operation.

Making your home, farm or business as energy efficient as possible can lead to more savings and a better bottom line. And as an exclusive member benefit, the Ohio Farm Bureau Energy Savings Program was created to help ensure members get the most competitive electric and natural gas supply prices in their area.