USE OF POULTRY LITTER AND OTHER BIOMASS IN ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Poultry litter is a byproduct of poultry production which has potential to cause water quality problem if it is not applied properly on land as a nutrient source. Using survey information available from Louisiana broiler producers, we found that broiler litter is not cost‐effective to transport farther than 24 miles from the production facilities given the crops grown in the region and other prevailing cost parameters. Alternative to broiler litter use on land as crop nutrients is its use as electricity production through combustion. We found that biomass‐electricity conversion is cost prohibitive if three small plant operations are established. It can be profitable if one large size plant of 10.5 MW is constructed, litter is available free, transportation cost is low and construction cost of electricity plant falls at the lower range. Regional and state level economic impacts (multiplier) of using broiler litter for electricity was found to be in the range of 1.4‐1.5 and 1.42‐1.55, respectively for the capital expenditure and 1.21‐2.67 and 1.27‐1.94 respectively for the operation cost. Detail environmental impact assessment may be needed to assess the full benefits of poultry litter‐electricity production.