By: Nicholas Sohr

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s latest effort to bring more green energy to the state is clean only in the strictest of energy-industry terms.

The state is soliciting proposals for a 10-megawatt power plant fueled with animal waste — “such as poultry litter or livestock manure.” The plant would have to be connected to the power grid and be up and running by New Year’s Eve 2015. Proposals are due Nov. 30.

“Maryland is leading the nation’s efforts in clean energy and sustainability, and our state’s growing ‘green’ jobs sector is vital to our ability to create jobs and complete globally in the new economy,” O’Malley said in the statement announcing the state’s dung-to-power project.

The effort is called “Clean Bay Power” — state officials hope turning animal waste into fuel reduces nutrient run-off, like nitrogen and phosphorus, into the bay. Animal waste-powered plants would also be categorized as a Tier 1 renewable source, meaning their juice would move the state closer to its goal of electric utilities buying 20 percent of their power from clean energy sources by 2022.

A 10 megawatt project wouldn’t move the needle all that much, however. The governor’s wind energy legislation that failed earlier this year called for generating capacity 40 to 60 times greater. A standard wind turbine generates about 1.5 megawatts of power.

(For more comparisons I turned to Wikipedia, which told me 10 megawatts is about four times the peak output of a blue whale, a little more than three times the power generated by a diesel locomotive, and slightly less than the electrical output of Togo.)

“We are seeking to purchase our power from a variety of renewable resources for a better and more sustainable future,” said Alvin Collins, secretary of the Department of General Services. “Obtaining electricity from poultry manure or animal waste helps Maryland to reach its goal of generating 20 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources, all while improving Bay water quality and supporting the agriculture industry.”