Stories of the Heartland September 2026 | Page 32

Page 32 Stories of the Heartland • Sunday, September 20, 2026 hometownsource. com / heartland /
gen-free digester where manure from the dairy is pumped and held for about three weeks. Naturally occurring microorganisms break down the organic material, producing methane-rich biogas while leaving behind nutrient-rich digestate that is returned to the farm as fertilizer and bedding.
“ We have sensors all over so we can monitor gas pressure, liquid levels, the dome height— just to make sure that everything’ s correlating to how we want it to run,” Torborg said.
The raw biogas then moves to an upgrader, where moisture, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and other impurities are removed, increasing the methane content from about 60 % to nearly 100 %.
“ The kindergarten-level explanation is essentially we make fizzy water, and then we de-fizz the water,” Torborg said.“ The different pressures at which we release the bubbles, the different molecules just stick to the water at those different pressures, so that’ s how we end up with pure natural gas.”
The finished renewable natural gas
is compressed into trailers operated by Dooley’ s Petroleum Inc. Every other day, loaded trailers leave the dairy for Paynesville, where the gas is injected into the natural gas distribution system for homes and businesses.
The Malecha project is one of two BioGasCo facilities currently operating in central Minnesota. The company is also developing additional projects while focusing on dairies that larger developers often overlook.
“ We’ re just a local Stearns County-based Central Minnesota company,” Evens said.“ We’ re not huge... we just got our small team, and we run these two plants, hopefully working on the third here.”
BioGasCo builds, owns and operates anaerobic digestion and renewable natural gas projects, serving as both developer and general contractor. Company officials said they assemble proven technologies from around the world to reduce construction costs while making projects economically feasible for midsized dairies. AURI officials said anaerobic digestion
can provide additional farm income, create renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and recycle nutrients back into crop production.
The digester partnership does not change the day-to-day realities of dairy farming. But it gives the operation another revenue stream while turning a constant byproduct of the dairy into renewable energy.
As trucks continue leaving the farm every other day carrying renewable natural gas instead of simply hauling away waste, the towering dome and steel column have become visible reminders of how traditional agriculture and new technology can work together.
“ What we’ re doing is nothing special,” Todd said.“ The only thing special about us is just the people who work with us and for us.”
Louise agreed, praising the partnership that allows each side to focus on its strengths.
“ The dairy takes care of what it needs to, and they take care of what they need to,” she said.
Jeffrey Hage / Stories of the Heartland
The biogas upgrading tower removes carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and other impurities from raw biogas, producing renewable natural gas.

How manure becomes renewable natural gas

BY JEFFREY HAGE STORIES OF THE HEARTLAND
At Malecha Dairy, what begins as cow manure ends up as pipeline-quality renewable natural gas used to heat homes and businesses.
Step 1: Collecting the manure Manure from more than 2,300 dairy cows is pumped into a 1.1-million-gallon, oxygen-free digester. Fresh manure enters every day while an equal amount of processed material leaves, allowing the system to operate continuously.
Step 2: Nature goes to work
Inside the heated digester, naturally occurring microorganisms break down the manure much like bacteria inside a cow’ s stomach. The material is maintained at about 102 to 103 degrees for 20 to 25 days, giving the microbes time to produce methane-rich biogas.
As the process continues, methane and carbon dioxide collect beneath the digester’ s large gray dome.
Step 3: Cleaning the gas
Raw biogas contains only about 60 % methane. The gas passes through an upgrading system that removes moisture, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and other impurities, increasing the methane concentration to nearly 100 %.
“ The kindergarten-level explanation is essentially we make fizzy water, and then we de-fizz the water,” BioGasCo Chief Operating Officer Mitchell Torborg said.
Step 4: Delivery
The renewable natural gas is compressed into transport trailers operated by Dooley’ s Petroleum Inc. Every other day, trucks haul the gas to Paynesville, where it is injected into the natural gas distribution system.
Step 5: Nothing goes to waste
The methane becomes renewable energy, while the remaining digestate returns to the farm. The liquid is used
Graphic created with the use of ChatGPT
as fertilizer, and the separated solids become bedding for the dairy’ s cows, creating a system that puts nearly every part of the manure to use.