Dairy farm owner, Rob Hilarides, converted two heavy-duty diesel trucks to run on bio-methane produced from his cows’ manure. Using an anaerobic-lagoon digester that processes the run-off of nearly 10,000 cows, the project generates 226,000 cubic feet of bio-gas per day and enough fuel to run two heavy duty trucks that make daily runs. This has reduced the dairy’s diesel consumption by 650 gallons a day. Rob intends to convert five pick-up trucks to use the same fuel.

The project is the result of a public-private partnership aimed at encouraging the use of renewable bio-methane produced from the waste of food processing and dairies. In June 2006, California’s legislature allotted $25 million dollars in grants to encourage the integration of alternative fuels into California’s market.

The Hilarides project was supported by state officials because the process reduces volatile organic compounds and greenhouse gasses, generates compressed natural gas, an alternative to diesel, and minimizes two sources of the valley’s air pollution problem.