Evaluating the Technical and Economic Feasibility for Energy and Compost Production from Dairy Manure Waste in Coahuila, Mexico

AMOUNT: $15,000 US

PROJECT LEADERS: Zohrab A. Samani, Jose Salvador Luevano Martinez

INSTITUTIONS: New Mexico State University and Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila

The New Mexico Dairy Industry is the state's number one cash producing industry. Nonetheless, it is also an environmental concern due to the large amount of animal manure waste that is generated. The faculty at New Mexico State University (Las Cruces) has developed technologies to convert the manure waste into energy (methane) and compost. The technology was developed for dry climates with limited water supplies and solid manure waste. New Mexico's climate is similar to Coahuila's, also a major dairy producing state. The dairy industry in Torreón, Coahuila is generating one million tons of cattle manure per year; the uncontrolled methane emissions contaminate the air, water, and soil. Traditionally, manure is applied to agricultural lands as soil amendment, but due to the high cost of transportation and limited water supplies in both states, the land application of manure is not economical. This project evaluated the technical and economic feasibility of converting dairy waste into energy and compost for the state of Coahuila.