Horse Manure as Electricity Source?

Now, Wellington's village council is looking into burning some of that waste and produce electricity. It voted last week to let the village staff talk with Wellington Energy LLC and learn more about the process.

"We have not made any binding commitments. There's still a lot that has to be discussed," said Village Manager Charlie Lynn.

Wellington Energy has partnered with Spinheat Ltd. of Fairfield, Conn., which has a similar plant in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.

Michael Virr, president of Spinheat and an engineer on the Wellington project, said he's been working on this type of technology for decades.

If approved, the manure would be transported to an enclosed facility where it is burned in a power plant to generate heat. Steam generated by the heat powers a turbine generator to produce electricity that could be sold to Florida Power & Light.

The plant could burn about 130 tons of manure a day, producing 24 megawatts of electricity daily, Virr said. The plant would be small and could occupy about 3 1/2 acres near the town's wastewater treatment plant. The enclosed plant would contain the smell and noise and cost less than $10 million, Virr said.

Lynn said Wellington would consider donating the land, but it doesn't intend to pay for construction.

Wellington's equestrian areas drain into the Loxachatchee National Wildlife Refuge and the Everglades.

It would be great to have a "bi-product" from your horse to actually sell.  Hmmmmm......