Skagit County’s Farm Power Northwest is perfecting what some might consider a dirty job – turning cow manure into a usable, clean source of energy. The company is truly operating at the intersection of agriculture and alternative energy.

Farm Power specializes in a commercialized technology that uses an anaerobic manure digester. What? Okay, let me explain (the simplified version). A farmer has milk-producing cows. The manure from those cows would go into the digester’s air-tight tank, which is then heated up to 100 degrees. Because bacteria love these types of conditions, the manure is consumed while emitting power-producing methane gas. That gas is captured and burned by a generator – creating electricity that can be distributed and sold to the local power company.

Founded by two brothers, Farm Power truly is a Northwest cleantech start-up.

"We burn the methane gas to produce electricity for sale," said Kevin Maas, co-founder of Farm Power. "Destroying methane also creates carbon offsets and we provide other products and services, mainly for farmers. Farm Power's first digester has been running since August 2009, its second is under construction and a third is in permitting."

At its core, Farm Power organizes, funds, owns and operates digester facilities for groups of dairies that cannot support a project individually, says Maas.

Farm Power's efforts exemplify the innovative spirit that has made the Northwest a hotbed for new ideas and technological breakthrough.  But sometimes innovation isn't enough without the support of forward-thinking policy, says Maas. 

"The Northwest is definitely strong on cleantech innovation, but it's remarkably weak (especially Washington state) on cleantech policy," said Maas in an e-mail.  "We’ll have to get lucky if we want that innovation to result in a sustainable economy with good jobs and a cleaner environment.  Oregon only has manufacturing jobs because of its soon-to-disappear BETC incentive, while Washington has even less."

So, how does the rest of America find out about Farm Power? Easy. Call Dirty Jobs.

If after reading this short profile you had visions of Mike Rowe rummaging through the bowels of the digester, the Maas brothers would agree.  Posted on the Farm Power blog, the brothers have created a YouTube video to draw in the attention from the Discovery Channel’s popular television show “Dirty Jobs.” 

Hey Mike, the Northwest’s very own Farm Power has a little challenge for you ... strap up your boots.