Manure For Fuel Too Expensive For the Normal Driver
Idaho is home to 550,00 manure and methane producing cows and is the third largest producer of milk behind California and Wisconsin. With all the mountains of manure that the state has, it’s hoping to transform most of it into energy to fire turbines and send electricity into the grid.
The state’s Office of Energy Resources is pushing for the passage of a income tax credit package, the waiver of property taxes and other incentives for the new fuel. They also plan on selling carbon credits in order to slash greenhouse gas emissions.
While the state is promoting the conversion of vehicles to be made to run on the methane created gas, most consumers won’t be able to afford the move. It will cost somewhere between $12,500 and $22,500 to convert just one vehicle so that it can be fueled with natural gas. Federal tax credits will return some of the consumers investment, but whether it’s enough to allow most people to afford the switch is yet to be seen.