Federal funding powers development of waste-to-energy technology for poultry farmers

A Baltimore startup that spun out of research at Morgan State University is looking to turn poultry litter into power for farmers. Cykloburn Technologies is developing a low-emission combustion system that converts biomass into energy. CEO Rob Meissner said the technology is being designed as an option for poultry farmers who use chicken litter as fertilizer. On the Eastern Shore, nitrogen and phosphorous from excess fertilizer is pegged as a prime pollutant in the Chesapeake Bay. Using the company’s offering, Meissner said the waste could instead be used as energy to heat chicken houses and provide a renewable source of energy for other operations. That alternative source of energy generated can also help farmers save money.