An effort to help U.S. farmers become more energy independent is taking shape in our area.

Nadeem Afghan:"Why is the digester industry not looking at small farms, which is the vitality of the community?" said Nadeem Afghan of BIOferm.

This "Titan-55" is specifically designed for dairy herds ranging from 300 to 135 cows. It's the product of German-manufacturer Viessmann Group and was exported to Wisconsin to it's U.S. subsidiary BIOferm. Company officials say the system has successfully generated energy and cleaner fertilizer on European farms.

"This digester can handle 40-thousand gallons of manure and it would produce about 55-kilowatt hours of electricity. Most of the nutrients stay intact," Afghan said.

The biodigester system will also aid U-W Oshkosh's new Sustainable Technology Program.

"As we looked providing a living, learning laboratory of renewable energy infrastructure experience for our students, our campus and our community, it made a lot of sense," said Tom Sonnleitner, UWO VIce Chancellor for Administrative Services.

The success of the biodigester technology in Europe is raising hopes that success in the U.S. will move from the farm to factory floors.

"Our goal, long-term, is to produce this unit here in Wisconsin," Afghan said.