Biogas energy from manure offers farms a practical way to turn animal waste into a useful source of renewable power. By processing manure from livestock and poultry in an oxygen-free environment, farms can produce gas for electricity, cooking and other energy needs while reducing waste, unpleasant odors and environmental concerns.

Raising chickens and livestock presents numerous challenges. One must contend with daily labor, significant expenses for feed and care, potential health risks, noise, and stringent local regulations. However, the most unpleasant aspect is the overpowering odor of manure. When neighbors are nearby, the smell of manure can become particularly offensive.

Manure also attracts flies, as it emits potent chemical odors that indicate food sources and safe nesting areas. Flies utilize specialized sensors on their bodies to detect these scents, and they require moist, decaying waste for nourishment and egg-laying.

Fortunately, the Rockefeller Farm has discovered a solution: converting waste into energy. Located in Barangay Labrador, Polanco, in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, the farm covers seven hectares and focuses on poultry and livestock/swine farming.

Rather than viewing manure as a burden, the farm has transformed it into a valuable resource by utilizing its accumulated waste to generate power through its biogas digester facility.

Biogas is a sustainable fuel produced when bacteria decompose plant and animal waste in an anaerobic environment. This mixture primarily consists of two greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide.

Animal manure from swine and chickens is placed in a sealed container where air is excluded, allowing specific microorganisms to consume the waste. These microorganisms decompose the material and produce a flammable gas mixture.

Biogas serves as a clean energy source derived from organic waste. It is utilized for cooking, heating water, generating electricity, and fueling vehicles. The residual material from the tank can be repurposed as organic fertilizer for agricultural use.

At Rockefeller Farm, the waste generated by over 100,000 chickens and pigs is collected in a pit that is dug three stories deep, according to Lester Uy Ong, the owner of the farm.

When inquired about the reasons for establishing a biogas digester facility, Heidi Ong, Lester’s wife, mentioned two primary motivations: to mitigate the unpleasant odor and the presence of flies, and to secure a reliable power source.

“Our neighbors complain about the flies and the smell, and we know that in the future, electricity prices will continue to rise,” she explained.

Currently, Rockefeller Farm operates a biogas generator with a capacity of 300 kilovolt-amperes (KVA), which can supply power to the entire farm for 15 hours, equivalent to illuminating a whole rural barangay.

Lester detailed that prior to the biogas facility’s establishment, the farm incurred monthly electricity expenses of approximately 900,000 pesos to power two buildings dedicated to housing chickens and pigs, sorting facilities, and other maintenance requirements.

“With the installation of a biogas generator, the costs will either be eliminated or reduced to approximately 40,000 to 50,000 pesos,” Lester said.

This enhancement has significantly boosted the output of Rockefeller Farm, which provides poultry products and meat to local restaurants in Dipolog City, collaborates with distributors for major consumer brands, and extends its reach to markets in neighboring provinces within the Zamboanga Peninsula, as well as Dumaguete City and Cebu.

“Currently, our production levels are not exceedingly high. Therefore, we are planning to expand in the future,” the Uys pointed out.

In addition to their primary products, the biogas digester facility generates high-quality fertilizers, which are either utilized on their own Rockefeller farm or distributed to their employees for their agricultural needs.

Furthermore, the farm implements circular and sustainable practices, such as treating wastewater for reuse in agricultural maintenance, particularly in the management of animal waste—complying with the standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In addition to their commitment to making Rockefeller Farm sustainable, Lester expresses his readiness to assist other communities in utilizing biogas, focusing on the significant potential of establishing biogas digester facilities and electric generators at landfills.

“What I want is to share this (biogas digester facility) and modernize our landfills. Because landfills can produce a greater amount of biogas,” Uy stated.

To quantify this, he mentioned that a single landfill could generate enough electric power to illuminate five to ten barangays. “If this is implemented, it will greatly benefit the communities (surrounding landfills),” he stressed.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) supported the enhancement of Rockefeller Farm through one of its key initiatives, the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), which provided five million pesos in funding for the acquisition of the biogas digester facility.

SETUP is one of the DOST’s programs designed to offer micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) zero-interest, refund-based funding for equipment purchases, technical training, consultancy, and packaging improvements to enhance their productivity and competitiveness in the market.