Senator introduces bill to promote biogas production

Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson has introduced legislation that promotes the development of biogas through tax incentives.

“We already have the technology to break down these wastes to create biogas but it needs encouragement from the federal government to become a commercially-viable alternative to natural gas,” said Nelson. “We shouldn’t waste the waste; we should promote biogas development.”

This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Mike Crapo of Idaho, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, John Thune of South Dakota, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.

Biogas is produced through technologies such as anaerobic digestion that can convert animal wastes and other agricultural or organic wastes into at least 50 percent methane. Biogas can be used as is on the farm or co-located with another facility such as an ethanol plant, or as a renewable substitute for natural gas, propane or other fossil fuels.

Nelson’s legislation, the Biogas Production Incentives Act of 2009, would encourage greater production of biogas for energy purposes by providing biogas producers with a tax credit of $4.27 for every million British thermal units of biogas produced. This could mean more jobs and a boon for rural communities.