The Nation’s First Real Green Dealership
Handy Toyota in St. Albans, Vermont, is the first car dealership in the United States to get all of its electricity from the methane produced by the waste from cows. The Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS) had dubbed the energy “Cow Power”.
Here’s a quick rundown of how it works: The manure that cows produce on a daily basis is fed into an anaerobic digester. Bacteria then convert the waste into various products, one of which is methane gas. The methane is delivered to a modified natural gas engine. The methane gas fuels the engine, which spins an electric generator to produce electricity. The waste heat from the engine is used to keep the digester warm, which helps offset fuel costs.
The electricity produced from 1 cow can power 2 100 watt light bulbs for 24 hours.
As the need for alternative power grows, Vermont Toyota and CVPS Cow Power are already ahead of the curve.
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