Maine company wants to turn cow manure into gas to heat homes

CLINTON, Maine — A natural gas distribution company in Maine plans to get into the production side of things with a poop-to-gas renewable energy project to heat homes.

Summit Utilities is partnering with Maine’s dairy industry through construction of an anaerobic digester in Clinton to produce natural gas. Farms will provide the manure.

Kurt Adams, president and CEO, said Thursday the company plans to spend about $20 million on the renewable natural gas project. He said it’s part of Summit’s ongoing effort to invest in “innovative technologies that mitigate climate change.”

Dan Burgess, director of the governor’s energy office, said it’s encouraging to see a new technology that can reduce waste and heat homes.