Alberta Turns Cow Manure Into Clean Energy for 4,500 Homes

Alberta is building a facility that transforms one of farming's biggest environmental challenges into clean energy for an entire community.

Taurus Canada Renewable Natural Gas Corp. just secured $10 million from Alberta's government to build the world's first fully integrated facility that converts livestock manure into renewable natural gas while permanently capturing carbon. The plant will be built at Kasko Home Lot in Coaldale, partnering with two local cattle companies.

Here's what makes this exciting. The facility will process 130,000 tonnes of manure each year, turning waste that would normally release methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere into renewable natural gas that flows directly into existing pipelines. That's enough clean energy to power around 4,500 homes.

The process uses anaerobic digestion, where microorganisms break down the manure in an oxygen-free environment. But unlike traditional facilities, this one captures the biogenic carbon dioxide produced during digestion and stores it permanently underground instead of releasing it into the air.

The environmental impact adds up fast. Switching this natural gas for fossil fuels equals taking approximately 3,800 cars off the road every year. Plus, the process creates nutrient-rich digestate that farmers can use as sustainable fertilizer, closing the loop on agricultural waste.

The Ripple Effect

This project could reshape how cattle farming regions approach both energy and environmental responsibility. Alberta's cattle country produces massive amounts of manure that typically becomes a disposal problem and significant source of greenhouse gases.

Now that waste becomes a resource. The $10 million in government funding is part of $28 million supporting six new clean technology projects across Alberta, signaling a broader shift toward innovation that reduces emissions without sacrificing productivity.

Local cattle companies Kasko Cattle Company and KCL Cattle Company are partners in the project, meaning the people who know farming best are invested in making this work. That local buy-in matters for creating solutions other farming communities might actually adopt.

Phillip Abrary, chairman and CEO of Taurus Canada RNG, says this could position Alberta as a leader in renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. Construction begins this summer, with the facility expected to reach full operation by January 2028.

Alberta Environment Minister Grant Hunter emphasized the province is backing homegrown innovation that increases energy production while cutting emissions. That's the kind of both-and thinking climate solutions need: meeting energy demands while reducing environmental impact.

In less than four years, Coaldale will host a facility that proves agricultural waste and clean energy can work together, offering a blueprint for cattle regions worldwide.