POTSDAM — St. Lawrence County farmer Jon R. Greenwood wants to save on his energy costs while being a good neighbor but isn't sure that even government assistance of more than $1 million will make it worthwhile to convert gas from the manure of his dairy cows into electricity.

An anaerobic methane digester would make Greenwood Dairy Farm, one of the county's largest dairy operations, more energy independent but it would also mean additional debt, increased maintenance and personnel.

"It would be another year-round operation. How much more do I want?" Mr. Greenwood said. "I would think the next few months we'd have to make a decision."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that Greenwood Dairy, which Mr. Greenwood operates with his wife, Linda R., was awarded a $433,564 grant for the digester. The farm also has a commitment from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for nearly $700,000 paid over three years based on successful operation.

"It sounds like a lot of money but there's still a lot of money to come up with," Mr. Greenwood said.

The project itself — a containment pit for the manure and conversion equipment — would cost nearly $2 million. In addition, the farm would have to spend several hundred thousand upgrading its electrical equipment.

"We're maxing out the line now," Mr. Greenwood said.

On the plus side, the smell from manure from the farm's 1,200 milking and dry cows and 1,100 young stock would be reduced while the nutrients would remain.

"We could still fertilize our fields," he said. "That's one of the real benefits of the plan. The neighbors would be happier too."

The idea that methane gas from manure can be captured and converted into energy isn't new. In Mr. Greenwood's case, fresh manure would move from the barn to the digester, the methane collected as fuel for an electrical generator that would feed the farm and the grid. Heat from the motors could be used as part of the process to convert the manure, as well as for energy for hot water and to warm office space in the barns.

Since the manure is sterile once the methane is removed, the solids could also be used for bedding.

"There's a lot of positives. The downside is the upfront cost," Mr. Greenwood said. "It wouldn't work for a 100-cow dairy. I know a lot of farms have talked about it. I don't know of anyone around here going ahead."

Franklin County is considering a community digester where waste would be trucked to a central location. Sheland Farms in Ellisburg has a digester.

Bion Environmental Technologies has proposed using manure from 84,000 cows on six farms in St. Lawrence County to create ethanol. Bion would organize the $180 million project, while animal operators and fuel companies would run the facilities.

Earlier this year, as a spokesman for Farm Bureau, Mr. Greenwood opposed the use of public funds for Bion and said existing agriculture should take precedence.

"We were looking at this before Bion came up," Mr. Greenwood said. "Their whole basis is using other people's money."