Oshkosh, WI: State Department of Administration Secretary Huebsch announced today that BIOFermTM Energy Systems and Allen Farms have been awarded a grant to help fund a feasibility study for the "plug and play" digester EUCOlino. This project, which is also made possible by a unique partnership with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and its Foundation, will be the first installation of this new innovative technology in the United States.

EUCOlino was especially developed for small farm applications and can be implemented at farms with a dairy herd size between 50 - 500 animals. It offers not only incredible promise for on-site environmental and energy sustainability of small-herd family dairy farming operations in Wisconsin, but it also opens a doorway to an exciting new industrial development and job-growth opportunity for the region and state.

“Wisconsin is the national leader for installed anaerobic digestion, and we have the leading minds in the nation working to advance on-farm energy solutions,” Huebsch said. “Under the Walker Administration's leadership, the collaborative relationship built by the Allen’s, BIOFerm™, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and its Foundation, will increase Wisconsin’s competitive advantage to offer cost effective solutions throughout North America for on-site energy demand and waste management.  Most importantly, it provides new opportunities for job growth to our citizens.”

The plant, which the university will call Titan 55, will allow farms to treat manure on site which cuts down on transportation costs. The system will provide energy to offset the farm's consumption and the by-product of the digestion process is a valuable fertilizer.

 “It is exciting to see our state support a feasibility study that will examine what it takes to engrain renewable energy innovations we are helping establish in larger, on-and-off-campus digesters into a smaller farming operation like Allen Farms,” said Tom Sonnleitner, UW Oshkosh Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services.

With an average dairy farm size of around 300 cows, Wisconsin is the ideal place to launch EUCOlino.  "At Viessmann we strongly believe that Wisconsin can lead the nation in biogas plants and digester technology advancement and help the US surpass Germany's over 6800 biogas plants. Biogas plants create jobs, not only in the manufacturing and construction sector but also in the service and maintenance industry. ” said Nadeem Afghan, President and CEO of BIOFerm Energy Systems.