Farmer Willingness to Supply Poultry Litter for Energy Conversion and to Invest in an Energy Conversion Cooperative

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and applied economics Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 105 - 119
• Main Authors: Jensen, Kimberly L., Roberts, Roland K., Bazen, Ernie, Menard, R. Jamey, English, Burton C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.02.2010
• Subjects: Agricultural wastes; Agriculture; Alternative energy sources; Capital costs; centralized conversion facility; Cooperatives; costs and returns; Economies of scale; Energy conversion; equations; Farmers; farmers' attitudes; Farms; Feasibility studies; Fertilizers; Hogs; Houses; Housework; Manures; mathematical models; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Potassium; Poultry; poultry manure; Raw materials; renewable energy sources; Renewable resources; waste utilization; Tennessee; renewable energy; Q13; Q12; supply; poultry litter
• ISSN: 1074-0708; 2056-7405; 1074-0708
• DOI: 10.1017/S1074070800003321

Conversion of poultry litter to energy can serve as a renewable energy source and provide an alternative to land application in areas where poultry production is intensive. Economies of size may limit a farmer's ability to economically use on-farm conversion. Capital costs can be spread across several poultry farmers to convert poultry litter to energy in a centralized facility. This research determined influences on the amount of litter poultry producers will to sell to a centralized conversion facility, on their willingness to invest in a conversion cooperative, and on the prices for litter required to divert litter from current uses.