U.S. Swine farmers could learn from farmers in the United Kingdom and their pig manure-to-energy systems which are creating new opportunities for swine producers who earn cryptocurrency and AI-computing revenue from renewable power generated through anaerobic digestion.
A new agricultural technology model emerging in the United Kingdom is drawing attention to an unexpected resource already found on many hog operations: pig manure. Could it work in the United States?
British swine farms equipped with anaerobic digesters are using pig slurry to generate renewable electricity, which is then used to power high-performance artificial intelligence computing systems. The approach is allowing some farms to earn income not only from energy production but also from AI-computing services and decentralized cryptocurrency networks.
While the project is currently being developed in the UK, it raises important questions for the U.S. swine sector, where manure-to-energy systems have been gaining interest as producers seek new revenue streams and improved sustainability.
From Pig Slurry to Computing Power
The initiative involves two related companies, Easy Compute and Green Compute, which place high-performance computing equipment at renewable-energy sites. One of the first installations is located on a pig farm where slurry is converted into electricity through anaerobic digestion.
Instead of selling all of that electricity back to the grid, the farm uses part of the power to operate AI-computing hardware. The computers generate revenue by providing processing capacity for businesses and by participating in decentralized AI networks, including Bittensor, where contributors can earn TAO cryptocurrency tokens.
According to the companies, the concept creates a higher-value use for renewable power generated on the farm.
"Everyone in crypto knows the two numbers that matter: your energy cost and your uptime," said Josh Riddett, CEO of Easy Compute and Green Compute. "Our energy comes from pig muck a farm was going to have to deal with anyway, and our hardware earns whether it is serving a business client or mining TAO on Bittensor."
Why Swine Farms Are Well Positioned
For hog operations, manure management is already a significant part of day-to-day production. Anaerobic digesters convert organic waste into biogas, which can then be used to generate electricity, renewable natural gas, or heat.
The British model suggests another possibility: using that electricity to support on-farm computing operations rather than simply exporting power to the grid.
Supporters of the approach argue that renewable electricity generated from manure offers a competitive advantage because the energy source is produced on-site. That can reduce exposure to fluctuating electricity prices, one of the largest costs associated with data processing and cryptocurrency mining.
The companies say some participating farms are generating tens of thousands of pounds sterling per month from compute-related activities, although revenue depends on power production, hardware capacity, and market conditions.
Potential Implications for U.S. Hog Producers
The United States is home to thousands of large-scale swine operations, particularly in states such as Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, and Nebraska.
Many operations already utilize manure-management systems, and an increasing number are evaluating anaerobic digesters as a tool for reducing emissions, improving nutrient management, and creating renewable energy products.
If AI-computing demand continues to expand, some producers may begin exploring whether excess renewable electricity generated from manure could support similar on-farm computing applications.
The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has significantly increased demand for computing power and data-centre capacity. As a result, companies are searching for reliable energy sources that can support next-generation workloads while meeting sustainability goals.
For swine operations with existing digesters, AI-computing infrastructure could represent a potential diversification opportunity beyond traditional livestock production, energy sales, and carbon-credit programs.
Sustainability Story Resonates
The project is also attracting attention because it combines two industries often scrutinized for their environmental impacts: livestock production and digital infrastructure.
Rather than relying on conventional electricity sources, the system uses renewable energy generated from agricultural waste that already exists on the farm. Supporters say that approach delivers measurable environmental benefits while providing an additional economic incentive for producers to invest in manure-to-energy technologies.
Green Compute positions the model as a verifiable renewable-energy solution rather than one that relies primarily on carbon offsets. The company argues that businesses increasingly want transparency around how both energy and computing resources are produced.
That emphasis on traceable, farm-generated renewable power may become increasingly important as demand grows for low-carbon AI services and data-processing infrastructure.
New Revenue Opportunities Emerging
For U.S. swine producers, the immediate takeaway may be less about cryptocurrency and more about the broader value of manure-based energy systems.
As agriculture continues searching for ways to improve profitability, reduce waste, and create additional income streams, manure may become a more valuable asset than many producers once imagined.
What began as a waste-management challenge is increasingly being viewed as a source of renewable energy, environmental benefits, and now potentially AI-computing revenue.
If the British experience proves successful at scale, American hog producers may soon be asking whether the next generation of farm diversification could be powered not by crops or livestock alone, but by the untapped energy contained in pig manure.