BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The business of turning poo into power has proved to be successful for a company based in Southwest Bakersfield.

BioEnergy Solutions has been recognized for its efforts in cleaning up the environment by winning the 2009 Governors Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.

They created the first project in Calif. that upgrades biogas from dairy digesters to pipeline quality natural gas.

All of the magic happens at Vintage Dairy located in Riverdale, Ca. It's where cows produce more than just milk. It is where piles of dirty manure is processed into clean energy.

"We are actually capturing the methane off of the cow manure, and taking that gas, cleaning it up and selling it to PG&E as renewable natural gas," said Renee Rippchen, vice president of marketing and sales for BioEnergy Solutions.

The major projects prior to this generated electricity on the dairy only, according to Rippchen.

"We're different because we are actually taking it to natural gas that can be transported up to a large power generator that can be very efficiently converted into electricity," she said.

It is enough electricity to power 1,200 homes a day.

"We're taking a waste project and turning it into renewable energy but at the same time we're doing that, we are also dramatically reducing emissions on the farm," said David Albers, president of BioEnergy Solutions.

Rippchen says the goal is to provide renewable energy to dairies up and down the Central Valley.

It's a win-win situation for the dairy farmers, they don't have to pitch in a penny for the equipment and still get a share in gas sales.

And nothing in this project goes to waste. Albers said after 30 to 40 days, the manure is returned to the dairy farmers who will then use it for fertilizer or bedding in the cow housing areas.