Program Overview
For the past several decades, environmental and sustainability professionals have sought to identify strategies to limit the release of methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas known to be 28 times more potent than Carbon Dioxide (CO2)1, into our atmosphere. Dairy farming and cow husbandry contribute to methane emissions in multiple ways, including through cow digestive processes and the production of manure2. While both methane-producing processes can impact our climate, some studies show that the impact of methane released from cow manure might be underestimated3.
On the other hand, as the world increasingly recognizes the need to transition to clean, sustainable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions4, there is an opportunity to leverage the bioenergy potential of manure to contribute to regional clean energy supply advancement, including here on Ohio's dairy farms. Resultingly, there is a tremendous need for innovative solutions that can mitigate the impact of methane dairy farming on our climate.
Join this EPN event, sponsored by the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State University, to learn about methane-capturing technologies implemented by IGS Energy on dairy farms, which contribute to energy supply diversification, climate change mitigation, and soil health. You'll hear from a multi-sector team of Ohio-based agricultural engineers, energy providers, and a dairy farmer from Sidney, Ohio, who have teamed up to convert manure methane into bioenergy.
References
1Importance of Methane | US EPA
2Methane emissions from livestock and climate change – Crops and Soils
3Anthropogenic emissions of methane in the United States | PNAS
Agenda
7:15 a.m. Doors open at Ohio State 4-H Center; Coffee served for in-person attendees.
7:40 a.m. Breakfast buffet served for in-person attendees.
8:00 a.m. Livestreaming service begins for virtual attendees.
8:10 a.m. Tim Haab, PhD, director, Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR), and Josh Knights, director of partnerships, Sustainability Institute at Ohio State, provide welcome remarks.
8:20 a.m. Jordan Couch, senior manager of biogas operations, IGS Energy, will walk through the purpose and potential of IGS Energy’s biogas operations in dairy farming communities, with a specific focus on Sidney, Ohio.
8:30 a.m. Eddie O’Donnell, dairy farmer and biogas energy operation owner, and Scott Higgins, CEO, Ohio Dairy Producers Association, will share the perspective of dairy farmer owner-operators on the value of biogas projects for converting manure into energy sources.
8:45 a.m. Ajay Shah, PhD, professor, Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) at Ohio State, and Frederick Michel, PhD, FABE, will provide an overview of future research-based prospects for mitigating methane and converting biomass into clean energy.
9:00 a.m. Expert panel on innovative strategies to create win-win-wins for methane capturing, clean energy, and farmers’ livelihoods with Couch, O’Donnell, Higgins, Shah, and Michel. Moderated by Knights.
9:10 a.m. Audience in-person and virtual question and answer session.
9:30 a.m. Dr. Haab concludes the EPN Breakfast program component. Livestreaming service concludes for virtual attendees.
9:35 a.m. Open networking session for in-person guests in A.B. Graham Hall.
