Training for Renewable Energy Jobs
Bellingham Technical College Launches Anaerobic Digester Technician Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted $200,000 to Bellingham Technical College to train technicians to operate anaerobic (methane) digesters. The College will develop a curriculum in the first year of the two year grant (2010-2011), and train the first six students in the second year. Washington State University received $99,000 to provide expertise and support for the project.

In December 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) signed an agreement with the dairy industry to reduce greenhouse gas methane emissions from American dairies by 25 percent by the year 2020. Methane is a natural byproduct of dairy waste, which is often stored in open lagoons. Anaerobic digesters process and convert this toxic animal waste into usable methane gas and a safe fertilizer. The gas is burned to produce renewable electricity and the fertilizer is applied to the fields.

To accomplish this valuable goal, the USDA wants to build 650 new anaerobic digesters on dairy

farms that have an average size of 500+ cows. The Department of Agriculture expects an equal number will be constructed to handle similar waste streams in the swine, poultry, and food processing industries. The USDA program requires building 135 anaerobic digesters per year in the United States for the next decade. The digesters will need several thousand trained technicians to operate and maintain them.

Bellingham Technical College hopes to set the standard for training in this important technology to reduce greenhouse gases, strengthen rural economies, and protect the agricultural environment.

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