OTTAWA — Of four on-farm biodigesters currently operating in Ontario, three are in Eastern Ontario. At least two more are slated to be constructed this summer east of Ottawa.

So far, all the biodigesters are powered by cow manure. Of the two new biodigesters, the one at Ferme Henrard et Fils, at Curran, will be powered by home grown corn after going through an ethanol plant. The other, at Kirchmeier Farms near St. Isidore, will be powered by cow manure.

Graeme Millen, project coordinator at Ottawa-based Genesys Biogas Inc., says that even more biodigesters will be built this summer east of Toronto. "There are probably upwards of 10 or more" says Millen.

"The government said it wouldn’t work when we first started," said Paul Klaesi from Fepro Farms in Cobden. In 2003, he and his brother Fritz built the first manure biodigester in the province. They are expanding the 500 cubic metre bio-digester to 3,000 cubic metres and have begun to process organic waste such as grease from local restaurants. The brothers receive two-cubic meters of grease per day and expect more after expansion is completed.

"One cubic metre of grease produces as much energy as manure from 70 or 80 cows," says Klaesi. Biogas from the cows produces 500 kilowatts of power every hour, says Millen.

An average biodigester produces enough power for 425 residential houses per year, Millen said. The average biodigester costs $600,000 to $1.5-million, which does not include the $100,000 to $250,000 cost to connect to the grid. OMAFRA’s financial assistance program pays up to 40 per cent of the cost up to $400,000.

Benjamin Stehler, a Genesys Biogas engineer, says that if farmers want to invest, "The contract is 20 years." He adds that farmers are paid 11 cents per kilowatt and have a five to seven year return on their investment.