panda ethanol is nearing completion of the first-ever manure fired ethanol plant in the world in hereford, texas.
the plant is expected to extract methane from 453.000 metric tons of manure [the product of about 500.000 cows] to generate 378 million liters of ethanol, plus ash by-product, each year. methane derived from the manure will be burned to generate the steam necessary for processing corn into ethanol. there are 3.5 million head of cattle within 160 km that each deposit about one ton per year. more plants are planned.