Nebraska Feedlot Turns Manure Into Clean Energy Pipeline

What if the answer to cleaner energy was sitting in a feedlot in central Nebraska? Adams Land & Cattle in Broken Bow is betting on it, breaking ground on a facility that turns cow manure into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas.

Neogenyx Fuels is building the agricultural renewable energy facility right at the feedlot operation. The company sees this as proof that farms and ranches can become powerhouses in America's clean energy transformation.

"This project represents a milestone in the industry and an exciting chapter for Neogenyx Fuels," said CEO Michael Bakas. "The Adams feedlot facility showcases how advanced biofuels can provide tremendous investments in rural communities, create job growth, and position agriculture as the next major domestic export engine."

The science behind it is surprisingly straightforward. Anaerobic digesters break down the manure naturally, producing biogas that gets upgraded into renewable natural gas clean enough for existing pipelines.

That gas can fuel trucks, buses, and other vehicles with far less carbon than traditional fossil fuels. It can also heat homes and power businesses across the region.

Even the leftovers find new life. Byproducts from the digestion process will be reused right on the feedlot as livestock bedding and fertilizer, making the operation more sustainable from start to finish.

The Ripple Effect

This facility is bringing much more than clean energy to central Nebraska. Construction crews are already creating jobs, and once operational, the plant will need full-time staff for years to come.

By capturing methane emissions that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere, the project will significantly reduce greenhouse gas output. That's a meaningful environmental win for a region already managing the realities of climate change.

The economic boost extends beyond the feedlot gates. As renewable natural gas projects expand nationwide, Broken Bow is positioning itself at the forefront of an industry that turns agricultural waste into valuable resources.

Adams Land & Cattle CEO Abram Babcock sees the bigger picture. "This facility allows us to build on our day-to-day operations while delivering environmental and economic benefits close to home," he said.

Rural America has always powered the nation with food. Now it's showing it can power the nation with fuel too.