Biomass Subsidies
In the discussion following my post BioFertilizer and BioGas from Animal Waste, frequent commenter MarcoPolo notes: “The reason that Germany leads the world in bio-gas production is mainly due to massive government incentives, and assistance at every level,” and then carries on with a wonderfully interesting and comprehensive explanation that I urge readers to check out.
I don’t object to government supporting industries that are good for society as a whole, and renewable energy is certainly at the top of that list in my book. The argument for biomass is based at least in part on its unique set of externalities: principally the health issues associated with decaying organic matter. For example, here in the U.S., home to 7.6 billion chickens, we have huge lakes in the Midwest, perhaps 10 miles long and a couple of miles wide, that are so polluted from manure run-off that their odor offends people literally in the next county.
We’re in the process of amping up our environmental regulations to force poultry farmers to deal with the waste more responsibly, but it sure would be good to create an economic incentive for turning all that chemical energy into electricity or biofuel. Priming the pump with a subsidy here makes a great deal of sense, IMO.
Of course, anyone seriously concerned about doing good in the world objects to the conditions under which 97% of our chickens are raised in the first place, but that’s another matter.
One can’t help feeling appalled at the sad circumstances of those poor chickens.
Yet, given a choice chickens don’t like living outside. The modern chicken, is very much a creation of domestication and selective breeding. The fate of the chicken is to live a short life, then slaughtered and eaten. Perhaps chickens aren’t the smartest of God’s creatures, but even at the best, their fate seems very sad.
On the hand, intensive farming is necessary, if the US is to eat 9 billion chickens per year ! Perhaps we over empathize with the plight of the chicken, attributing a cognizance to the chicken it just doesn’t possess. ( But, it still seems sad).
Intensive farming must have very strict environmental guidelines and regulations. The EPA and local health authorities must ensure that pollution doesn’t occur. Chicken manure is very good fertilizer, and should become another profit center for the farmer. A bio-mass reactor could prove economically viable, even if it just provided enough power for the farms own needs. (chicken farms use a lot of energy).
It could be made part of the chicken farms license conditions.