United States Biogas

Integrated Biogas Alliance Announces First Dairy Biogas Project in North America

2021-01-23T15:14:00.002-05:00

The IBA, in concert with EIP Ventures is in final stage development of a 7 dairy, 16,500 head biogas project. The project is expected to close in late Q1 2021.

“We are excited to announce our first dairy biogas project” stated Christopher Maloney, President of the IBA. “This is a culmination of over two years of terrific development work by the Boise Biogas Group, led by IBA Partner and lead project manager Digester Doc. The project is located on approximately 50 acres near Boise Idaho and ideally situated near a natural gas pipeline. This project is the first phase of a much larger biogas facility planned for the site and will generate over 1,200 MMBtu of renewable natural gas per day. When completed, this project is expected to create more than 300 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase, and the facility will ultimately employ 15 full-time staff on-site with an additional 40 jobs associated with hauling and off-site processing. The project will bring together the technologies, equipment and related consulting, engineering, and construction services of many of the IBA companies.”

“This project has cleared all major permits and approvals and has strong local and State support said BBG spokesman and Digester Doc President, Will Charlton. ”We are excited to advance this project in collaboration with Chris, Tom, Beverly and the IBA team. The project will be a strong addition to the renewable energy capacity coming from the Idaho dairy community”.

EIP Ventures out of New York will be leading the final phase of development for the IBA ensuring completion. “This project will remove the equivalent of 260 gallons of diesel per hour derived pollution from the atmosphere and will prevent the emissions of approximately 2.2 million gallons of diesel annually, which is equivalent to planting a 36,000-acre forest – every year. EIP Ventures is excited to collaborate with the IBA to ensure the project’s success” stated Beverly Westle, Managing Director of EIP Ventures.

Schumann Tanks from Germany which has hundreds of references around the world and a 20-year reputation for excellence and quality. Schumann Tanks is considered one of the top companies in the world-wide tank construction industry, accounting for over 25% of all biodigester tank sales globally and has deployed equipment on biogas and water treatment projects in 8 U.S. states. Global anaerobic digestion expert, Zenviro Tech US Inc., based in Crystal Lake, Illinois (formerly US based Eisenmann Environmental Technology) will provide the AD process engineering and design for the project. Greenlane Renewables based in Vancouver Canada is expected to provide the required biogas upgrading system. Symbiont, Science, Engineering & Construction, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin will lead the balance of plant design and construction of the plant. Symbiont SEC is a market leader in North America for EPC, general contracting and design-build execution of renewable natural gas and energy projects.

BIOGEST builds 1st biogas plant in Idaho

2021-01-19T18:17:00.001-05:00

90,000MMBTU/year of installed capacity
120,000t of cow manure
Dairy farm in Idaho

BIOGEST received its first US order to build an agricultural biogas plant in Idaho. The plant has a thermal output of 90,000 MMBTU p.a. and operates on 120,000t of cow manure per year. During the process, the manure is transformed into high-quality organic fertilizer that acts as a substitute for chemical products. BIOGEST’s proven biogas plant technology offers significant advantages in energy efficiency and operational safety as well as an easy and cost-efficient maintenance system.

The expanding energy gap, technology growth and population density has greatly increased the importance of renewable energy resources. Biogas production from animal, agricultural and food waste is one of the most rapidly expanding sectors of renewable energy in the United States. Federal and State Governments support this development through several programs such as the Californian Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), which has led to major investments in the construction of biomethane plants that will become renewable fuel suppliers for the transport sector.

BIOGEST America CEO Martin Schlerka “The local agriculture in Idaho is vast and impressive, allowing for ample opportunity to utilize alternative energy sources. This first project will be a best practice example for our US project pipeline and we can’t wait to show our reference plant to potential clients live!”

BIOGEST America CFO Gregor Vogrin “Our first project in the US will combine proven, high-efficiency digestion with the excellent market conditions the US has to offer. It will also serve as a key reference for future renewable biomethane projects. We look forward to supporting more farms as they diversify their income and embrace renewable energy technology!”

Florida PSC Approves Renewable Natural Gas Service for Florida City Gas

2021-01-13T18:32:00.000-05:00

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) recently approved a new Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Service tariff for Florida City Gas (FCG). FCG can now offer services to convert biogas into usable renewable natural gas, and receive and transport RNG through its distribution system on behalf of the biogas producer.

RNG—biogas that has been processed to meet pipeline quality standards--is produced from materials such as wastewater treatment plants, landfills, municipal solid waste, livestock manure, and agricultural waste. Once conditioned, RNG can be interchangeable with natural gas from other sources.

According to FCG, RNG use reduces total greenhouse gas emissions, and RNG use offsets natural gas demand for the utility’s biogas-producing customers. This potential offset could allow for new growth in FCG’s service territory.

Under the tariff, FCG would contract to construct and operate RNG facilities on behalf of the customer. The RNG produced would be used onsite by the customer or injected into FCG’s distribution system on behalf of the customer.

All capital and operating costs associated with the RNG conversion process will be borne by the customer requesting and agreeing to the FCG service contract. Tariff safeguards will ensure that the utility’s general customers will not subsidize biogas customers.

FCG has received inquiries from residential, commercial, and industrial customers about RNG availability. FCG serves approximately 114,000 natural gas customers in southern Florida.

Gevo Announces Net-Zero 1 Project

2021-01-12T14:09:00.004-05:00

Gevo, Inc. announces the concept of Net-Zero Projects for the production of energy dense liquid hydrocarbons using renewable energy and Gevo’s proprietary technology. The concept of a Net-Zero Project is to convert renewable energy (photosynthetic, wind, renewable natural gas, biogas) from a variety of sources into energy dense liquid hydrocarbons, that when burned in traditional engines, have the potential to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the whole lifecycle of the liquid fuel: from the way carbon is captured from the atmosphere, processed to make liquid fuel products, and including the end use (burning as a fuel for cars, planes, trucks, and ships). Gevo announces that its project currently planned to be constructed at Lake Preston, South Dakota will be the first Net-Zero Project and will be named “Net-Zero 1.” Gevo expects that Net-Zero 1 would have the capability to produce liquid hydrocarbons that when burned have a “net-zero” greenhouse gas footprint.

Net-Zero 1 is currently expected to have a capacity of 45MGPY of hydrocarbons (for gasoline and jet fuel, based on current take-or-pay contracts), to produce more than 350,000,000 pounds per year of high protein feed products for use in the food chain, to produce enough renewable natural gas to be self-sufficient for the production process needs, and also to generate renewable electricity with a combined heat and power system. Net-Zero 1 is also expected to utilize wind energy.

Because of the low-carbon footprint feedstocks, the sustainable agricultural practices used to produce feedstock, and the use of renewable energy for the production processes, much of which is expected to be generated on-site, the hydrocarbon fuel products produced at Net-Zero 1 have the potential to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as measured across the whole of the lifecycle based on Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model, the pre-eminent science-based lifecycle analysis model. The GREET model takes into account emissions and impacts "cradle to cradle" for renewable resource-based fuels including: inputs and generation of raw materials, agriculture practices, chemicals used in production processes of both feedstocks and products, energy sources used in production and transportation, and end fate of products, which for fuel products is usually burning to release energy.

The capital cost for Net-Zero 1 is projected to be on the order of $700M including the hydrocarbon production and related renewable energy infrastructure which includes anaerobic digestion to produce biogas to run our plant and generate some electricity on-site. Citigroup is assisting Gevo in raising the necessary capital for Net-Zero 1.

“This is not a new project but rather the first of the projects that we have been working on with Citigroup to get financed. We are naming our future projects Net-Zero to make clear the mission we are on to reduce GHG emissions. By using carbon from the air as our raw material source with its inherent low-carbon footprint, sustainable agriculture, a combination of renewable energy obtained from photosynthesis, wind, and biogas, we see that it is possible to transform renewable energy into liquid hydrocarbon fuels that work with combustion engines typical of cars, planes, and trucks with the added benefit that these fuels have a net-zero carbon footprint across the whole lifecycle. Think about it: it is conceivable to eliminate tailpipe emissions from cars, planes and trucks on a net GHG basis, while leveraging existing cars, planes, and trucks on a full 'cradle to cradle' GHG basis. Our Net-Zero 1 Project isn’t just about capturing renewable energy and carbon, and transforming it into liquid renewable energy; it’s also about generating enormous quantities of protein, and nutrition for the food chain. The high protein feed would be low-carbon footprint too—and we are happy to help farmers raise beef, pigs, chicken, and dairy in a way that lowers GHG emissions. We’ve got work to do to make it all happen,” said Dr. Patrick R. Gruber, Chief Executive Officer, Gevo. “We believe that there will be demand for additional Net-Zero projects in the future,” Gruber continued.

Himark BioGas To Build 3 Anaerobic Digestion Plants

2014-07-24T09:33:00.001-04:00

Himark BioGas International has signed an agreement with NEO Energy LLC for the design, construction, and start-up of three integrated anaerobic digestion (AD) and fertilizer plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The AD plants will recycle food waste to produce organic-based fertilizer and renewable electricity.

As part of the agreement, Himark BioGas will act as a technology licensor and owner’s representative on behalf of NEO Energy LLC during the design, construction and operation stages of the plants.

AD plants designed on Himark BioGas’ patented “IMUS” technology can produce renewable energy and pathogen-free fertilizer from food waste (which is what NEO is focused on), source separated organic materials, cow manure, ethanol plant waste/thin stillage, slaughter house waste, food processing waste, and agricultural waste (open pen feedlot, sand-laden dairies, etc.). The IMUS technology also can handle feedstock containing large amounts of sand, dirt, rocks, plastic, and cellulose. Furthermore, with its turnkey, guaranteed-maximum capital cost designs, Himark BioGas guarantees electricity, gas and fertilizer outputs with any kind of feedstock. Himark’s AD plants are developed and integrated with the client’s processes at a rapid pace and the best short- and long-range profitability.

The entire catalog of technologies enjoys protection by patents in the U.S. and various other countries.

Shane Chrapko, CEO of Himark BioGas commented, “The development of the anaerobic digestion plants will positively contribute to effective food waste recycling, profitable pathogen-free fertilizer production, energy self-sufficiency and a reduction in carbon emissions for the local communities. Each ton of food waste diverted from the landfill will reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by just over one ton of CO2 (Equivalent).”

Robert Nicholson, President of NEO Energy LLC, says that “NEO’s anaerobic digestion plants will recycle food waste generated by supermarkets, food processors, restaurants and other institutions and divert that waste away from landfills and incineration facilities. Our plants produce a high-quality organic-based fertilizer while reducing greenhouse gases, preserving landfill capacity and producing renewable energy. Our first plants will also be available to those businesses that will need to comply with the 2014 commercial food waste disposal ban in Massachusetts and the recently enacted law in Rhode Island requiring that food residuals produced by large waste generators be recycled starting in 2016.”

BioConversion Solutions’ New Biomass to Biogas System Provides Industry-Leading Profits

2014-02-19T17:20:00.002-05:00

The Advanced Fluidized Co-Digestion and Co-Generation (AFC²) anaerobic process from BioConversion Solutions (BCS) provides up to 90 percent conversion of organic feedstock solids with no residual sludge. The AFC²profitable and scalable biomass conversion process is designed for the agribusiness, food processing, commercial co-digestion, and waste management industries.

AFC² from BCS produces renewable energy and other value-added products including saleable fertilizer and clean water for reuse in agricultural or industrial applications. AFC² is an evolution of
BCS’s original AFC technology, which has a 20-year track record of cost-effectively converting industrial waste. AFC² technology can be used in new plants, and easily retrofitted to existing digesters. Currently, the market value of energy generated from biomass in the US alone was $45 billion.

BCS is currently engaged to provide the first biogas conversion system in Australia’s meat processing industry. The $43 million system will generate electricity, steam, and clean water at Bindaree Beef’s new Bio-digester and Rendering Plant in Inverell, NSW. It will also minimize odor and water issues at the plant and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to Ministry of the Environment standards. Bindaree Beef received a $23 million Australian Federal Government grant for the full-scale beef abattoir biogas project.

BCS is also contracted to install an alternative energy system at a municipal plant in Daejeon, South Korea; the 4^th largest City in South Korea. The system will eliminate over 300 million pounds of sludge per year. It will be the largest system of its kind ever built in that country.

MV Technologies Receives $1.2 Million Order for its H2SPlus Technology for Use in a Large Scale Landfill Gas Project

2014-02-18T09:09:00.000-05:00

Strategic Environmental & Energy Resources, Inc. (SEER) announced recently that its subsidiary MV Technologies (MV) received a $1.2 million order to supply a high-capacity H2SPlus hydrogen sulfide removal system to a large landfill operation in the Western U.S.

The landfill will install MV’s proprietary H2SPlus system as part of a major initiative to increase the supply of renewable landfill gas (LFG) available for electric power generation, while simultaneously improving the landfill’s odor control. The project is being managed by a major U.S.-based engineering firm that is working with MV to optimize the system design to meet the landfill’s unique operating conditions. Upon its completion expected later this year, the project will handle up to 4,700 cubic feet per minute of landfill gas and address hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations of up to 2,000 parts per million. This will be one of the larger LFG projects in the western U.S.

“The LFG segment of the renewable fuels market is a fast-growing component of our business and this order is an important milestone in establishing MV Technologies at the forefront of this growing opportunity,” said John Jenkins, President of MV. “Our custom engineered systems have demonstrated unparalleled performance in removing H2S at lower capital and operating costs. This gives us a key competitive advantage in our industry and provides significant economic benefit for our customers who face increasingly stringent emission regulations.”

“Securing this large-scale project in the LFG sector so early in the first quarter reflects SEER’s commitment over the last year to capture market share in this fast-growing renewable fuels segment and creates tremendous opportunity to achieve or exceed our 2014 goals,” said John Combs, CEO of SEER. “Establishing solid, long-term relationships with national and highly-regarded engineering firms also represents a key element of SEER’s aggressive growth strategy.”

ClearCove Systems Receives NYSERDA Funding  For Biogas Projects

2014-02-15T12:16:00.000-05:00

ClearCove Systems Inc. of Rochester, NY announced recently that it had been awarded funding by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to demonstrate a new wastewater treatment system that is expected to save energy while reducing treatment costs.

The technology also is expected to bring an additional benefit: the creation of a carbon-rich byproduct that can be used as a superior fuel for generating biogas through anaerobic digestion.

The demonstration will take place at two sites in upstate New York. NYSERDA has provided $300,000 for these two projects. ClearCove is contributing an additional $300,000.

“This generous support from NYSERDA further validates our vision,” said ClearCove CEO Greg Westbrook. “We believe our technology supports NYSERDA’s goal of allowing wastewater treatment plants to be more sustainable through a combination of energy savings and on-site energy production.”

ClearCove will install its patented system at the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility in the Finger Lakes and at the Nott Road Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Capital Region Town of Guilderland.

ClearCove has invented a screening technology that enhances the settling techniques that water treatment plants typically use to process sewage. ClearCove's patented process reduces energy use by removing more organic matter from the waste stream before it undergoes aeration or secondary treatment.

At the same time, the study seeks to show an additional benefit: that ClearCove's
system creates an organic byproduct that can be used for anaerobic digestion -- the
process of breaking down organic materials to create a biogas that is burned to
generate electricity.

ClearCove studies have demonstrated that the organic matter captured by its primary
treatment system and used in anaerobic digestion generates three times more biogas
than organic matter that is typically taken from secondary treatment systems does. This
will allow facilities to even further offset their energy use with on-site renewable energy
generation.

The Ithaca plant already has on-site digesters. The Nott Road plant is currently looking
into bringing its byproduct to a nearby digester, which would reduce the facility's
current cost of transporting and disposing the waste.

Jason Turgeon of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1, Lauren Fillmore
of the Water Environment Research Foundation, and Rich Lyons, Executive Director of
the Albany County Sewer Authority, have agreed to serve as advisory committee
members for the project.

EPA reports have estimated that a typical municipal wastewater treatment plant
spends 40 percent of its total operating costs on removing organic matter from
wastewater -- a significant amount, since wastewater treatment can represent one-third
or more of a municipality’s entire utility bill. The ClearCove process removes most of the
organic waste using a low-energy, gravity-driven process.

“We hope to bring our wastewater plant in Ithaca to the point where we are not only
meeting our energy needs with onsite biogas production, but are also generating
surplus energy for outside use,” said Ithaca Chief Operator Dan Ramer. “We anticipate
that ClearCove’s primary treatment process will be instrumental in lowering our energy
consumption and in increasing the amount of bio-methane we are generating in our
anaerobic digesters.”

"I feel ClearCove's Flatline technology could have a dramatic impact on the entire
operational efficiency of the plant, from energy usage to substantial savings in sludge
processing and disposal." said Keith Edwards, Chief Operator of the Nott Road
Wastewater Treatment plant.

ClearCove Systems Inc. is focused on wastewater treatment solutions that produce
cleaner water, reduce energy costs, and enable more efficient production of biogas from
organic waste. Its patented primary treatment process offers greater environmental
protection from storm events and helps wastewater treatment plants to reach energy
self-sufficiency through lower utility costs and greater bio-fuel production potential.

Constellation to Develop 27 MW Biogas Co-Generation Power Plant for City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation

2014-01-30T13:12:00.000-05:00

Constellation today announced that it has signed an agreement with the City of Los Angeles to design, build and operate a 27-megawatt (MW) renewable energy power plant at L.A. Sanitation’s Hyperion Treatment Plant.

Hyperion is among the 10 largest wastewater treatment facilities in the world, according to a 2012 Engineering News Record report. The sewage treatment process at Hyperion generates a class 1 renewable fuel known as digester gas. The new power plant, which will cost approximately $130 million to construct, will use the digester gas produced at Hyperion as its primary fuel source. The power plant will produce steam and electricity that will be used to operate Hyperion’s treatment operations.

“This state-of-the-art facility will reduce emissions at the Hyperion plant and secure for our city a new energy source that is reliable, efficient and sustainable,” said Traci Minamide, L.A. Sanitation’s chief operating officer.

“Constellation is uniquely qualified to develop and operate this integrated, self-sustaining solution for the City of Los Angeles and L.A. Sanitation,” said Gary Fromer, senior vice president, energy management programs, Constellation. “Our objective is to deliver and operate for the city a power plant that will become a nationwide model for reliable, cost-efficient, sustainable power solutions at wastewater treatment facilities.”

L.A. Sanitation selected Constellation as the project developer after a lengthy competitive bidding process. Constellation and its subcontractors will develop, construct and operate the co-generation facility for 10 years, with an option to extend the agreement for five additional years. Commercial operation of the Hyperion co-generation facility is expected by the end of 2016.

EPA Recognizes Partners for Landfill Gas Energy Achievements (2013)

2014-01-27T21:25:00.000-05:00

Each year, EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) recognizes select Partners for excellence in innovation and creativity, success in promoting landfill gas (LFG) energy, and achieving both environmental and economic benefits. These award-winning LFG energy projects and companies contribute to job creation and provide energy savings and green power generation. On January 22, 2014, Partners accepted the following awards at LMOP’s 17th Annual Conference and Project Expo in Baltimore, Maryland.

2013 Projects of the Year: LMOP was pleased to recognize two projects that create renewable energy from a local source while also protecting the climate and strengthening the economy. Together, these projects will avoid the emissions of 276,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, which is the equivalent of the carbon sequestered annually by more than 200,000 acres of U.S. forests or the carbon dioxide emissions from more than 600,000 barrels of oil consumed.

Blue Ridge Renewable Energy Plant, Pennsylvania — A true private/public partnership, LFG supplier IESI Blue Ridge Landfill, power purchaser Borough of Chambersburg, and project developer PPL Renewable Energy (PPLRE) worked closely together to bring this 6.4-megawatt LFG electricity project online after only seven months of construction. In addition to designing, constructing, owning, and operating the LFG electricity plant at the landfill, PPLRE designed, permitted, and built the dedicated, 4-mile Express Generator Feeder (EGF) from the plant to the Borough’s Cree substation. The Borough obtained easements for the EGF, assumed ownership of the line upon project completion, and will maintain it. The EGF traversed several obstacles, including a shopping mall, a high-voltage power line, an interstate, wetlands, a stream, a housing subdivision, and a farmer’s fields, and was also structured to minimize impacts on birds. Successful completion of this project was particularly satisfying and is an example of determination in overcoming the odds, as interconnection-related issues had thwarted other developers for years. Coming full circle, waste that Borough residents and businesses deposited in the landfill now supplies about 15 percent of its 11,000 customers’ electric needs, plus the Borough was able to decrease the price of electricity those customers pay. In addition, the project generates 50,000 renewable energy credits (RECs) annually toward meeting the state RPS goal.

Seminole Road Landfill Renewable Fuels Facility, Georgia — With an LFG electricity project thriving for several years, DeKalb County wanted to find a creative outlet for its excess LFG. Given air permitting limitations for engines and a desire to save money and reduce emissions from county vehicles, self-developing a renewable natural gas (RNG) and renewable compressed natural gas (RCNG) project was the way to go. In 2010, the county received about $7 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to build its Renewable Fuels Facility (RFF) and to purchase about 40 new CNG-fueled waste collection trucks. In the RFF, contaminants such as hydrogen sulfide, siloxanes, VOCs, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen are removed from approximately 550 standard cubic feet per minute of LFG to create RNG. Some of the RNG is delivered into the nearby Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) pipeline, while the rest is dried and compressed to become RCNG, which is then dispensed to county vehicles and the public at the onsite fueling station. The county, surrounding community, and environment benefit from the RCNG station, as it offers a fuel price lower than diesel or gasoline and will offset the use of 15 million gallons of these fossil fuels each year. Large windows in the RFF building allow convenient and safe viewing of the operations for a range of visitors from local students to international technical delegates.

2013 Community Partner of the Year: Gaston County Solid Waste and Recycling Division, North Carolina — Forward-thinking Gaston County identified three primary sustainability goals in 2008 related to its waste management practices: reduce landfill emissions, produce renewable energy, and provide infrastructure for a new Eco-Industrial Park. With a voluntary gas collection system installed, a self-developed LFG electricity project (2.8 megawatts) in operation, and the Park’s grading and utility hook-ups in place, the county is well on its way to realizing all of its main objectives. The Renewable Energy Center was designed to accommodate additional LFG engines in the future, and also has a solar panel array on its roof for bonus renewable electricity to offset the building’s parasitic load. Several local, state, and federal officials have toured the Center to learn about LFG energy, and county staff visit schools to educate students about a range of waste-related topics including a hands-on landfill model. The Park was designed to interconnect with the Center, and the county plans to make excess LFG as well as waste heat from the LFG electricity project available to future Park tenants. The Park is intended as a location for “green” businesses to grow and thrive, and potential tenants include a biodiesel facility and a food-waste anaerobic digester.

Iogen Announces New Drop-In Cellulosic Biofuel From Biogas

2014-01-23T18:55:00.000-05:00

Iogen Corporation announced it has developed and patented a new method to make drop-in cellulosic biofuels from biogas using existing refinery assets and production operations.

The company estimates there is refining capacity in place to incorporate 5-6 billion gallons per year of renewable hydrogen content into gasoline and diesel fuel. Iogen will initially commercialize the approach using landfill biogas, and then expand production using biogas made in the cellulosic ethanol facilities it is currently developing.

The production method involves processing biogas to make renewable hydrogen and incorporating the renewable hydrogen into finished fuels in selected refinery hydrogenating units.

The overall greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by more than 60%, meeting the threshold for cellulosic biofuel in the USA. Iogen said it is actively consulting with the EPA and CARB to gain pathway approval for cellulosic RIN and LCFS credit generation.

“Biogas is produced today from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, waste digestion facilities, and farm digesters with well-proven technology,” says Patrick Foody, Iogen’s Executive Vice President, Advanced Biofuels. “We can now take biogas and make specification gasoline and diesel with renewable content using well-proven existing refining operations. It is a win for everybody.”

The company says it is planning to use the technology in association with two large-scale US cellulosic ethanol plants it is developing, resulting in increased overall cellulosic biofuel yields per unit of feedstock, lower unit capital costs, and lower water usage per unit of biofuel production. The company made the announcement at US EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Project Conference in Baltimore.

Encina Wastewater Authority Announces Joint Venture to Recycling Waste Cooking Oil Into Renewable Energy

2014-01-20T20:17:00.001-05:00

The Encina Wastewater Authority (EWA) announced the award of a contract to J.R. Filanc Construction and partnership with Liquid Environmental Solutions to build an Alternative Fuel Receiving Facility that will recycle waste cooking oil and other food wastes. These organic materials that would otherwise be sent to landfill will be used to produce renewable energy to help the EWA achieve energy independence.

EWA currently produces nearly 80% of its 2.2 MW annual electricity demand from biogas that is created during the wastewater treatment process. Wastewater treatment is a biological process, relying on bacteria or “bugs” to decompose biological and chemical waste. This process results in the release of methane gases that are recaptured through EWA’s PureEnergy program and are used to power biogas engines that generate electricity at EWA and deliver heat to other EWA system processes.

“Through our joint venture and design-build contract with J.R. Filanc Construction and HDR Engineering, and a fuel delivery partnership with Liquid Environmental Solutions, our commitment to the Alternative Fuel Receiving Project means that EWA will soon be a ‘net-zero’ energy consumer. Using resources embedded in the wastewater stream to achieve energy independence is key to sustainable water resources management,” said Kevin Hardy, General Manager at Encina Wastewater Authority.

The Alternative Fuel Receiving Project will deliver fats, oils and grease (FOG), liquefied food waste and other higher strength digestible organic substrate to the EWA’s Water Pollution Control Facility (EWPCF). This waste will be anaerobically digested to yield additional biogas fuel to supplement current unused digestion capacity. EWA anticipates the project will pay for itself during the first 4 years of operation.

“This investment reflects EWA’s mission to provide sustainable and fiscally responsible services while maximizing the use of alternative and renewable resources,” said Jim Poltl, Chair of the EWA Board of Directors. “Infrastructure investments that result in outstanding environmental outcomes and enhance our energy self-sufficiency help EWA save money on operating costs and keep rates low for all our customers here in north San Diego county.”

Construction of the Alternative Fuel Receiving Facility is expected to commence during the 1st quarter of 2014 with completion approximately six months later.

NY Governor Cuomo Announces $21 Million to Create Economic Opportunity for Dairy Farmers Statewide

2014-01-19T14:12:00.001-05:00

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced nearly $21 million will be available to create new economic opportunities for New York’s dairy farmers by helping them to produce renewable energy and improve their business operations. The funding will help dairy farmers convert farm waste to energy and develop individualized business and environmental plans to reduce operating costs and increase profitability. The funding for these efforts stem from recommendations made at Governor Cuomo’s Yogurt Summit in 2012 to ensure that the industry continues to grow and create jobs in New York State. In his 2014 State of the State Address, Governor Cuomo pledged a second Yogurt Summit to identify additional economic growth opportunities within this growing sector of the economy.

“The State is committed to creating new economic opportunities for our dairy farmers, who have helped make New York the Yogurt Capital of the nation,” Governor Cuomo said. “With this funding, we are providing significant financial assistance to farmers so they can cut their energy costs, increase efficiencies in their operations, and develop plans to expand their businesses and contribute to cleaner communities. This year, we are also launching a second Yogurt Summit to ensure the state’s dairy industry continues to thrive and grow the Upstate economy.”

John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), said, “The anaerobic digester funding coupled with the Dairy Acceleration Program funding is another step the State is taking, under Governor Cuomo, to assist farmers in reducing their operating costs and in generating clean energy. Farmers that utilize anaerobic digester technology are able to produce renewable energy and lower their costs while providing a number of environmental benefits to their local communities.”

Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens said, “Governor Cuomo’s continued support has achieved environmentally responsible growth in the dairy industry throughout the state. This collaboration with our partners, including Cornell University, provides farms with the technical expertise they need to help protect New York’s natural resources and open spaces.”

Waste-to-Energy Anaerobic Digesters

Starting on January 17, $20 million will be available through NYSERDA to install anaerobic digester technology that produces renewable biogas used to produce electricity and heat from organic wastes. Farms, food processing manufacturers or municipal wastewater sites would be eligible for up to $2 million per project.

Biogas-to-power technology has several steps. Dairy manure and other organic wastes are pumped into digestion tanks where bacteria break down the waste, creating a methane-rich gas called biogas and a nutrient-rich effluent that can be applied to crops as fertilizer. The biogas is burned in engines to produce electricity and heat. Through this process, farmers can often eliminate a significant portion of the electricity they would otherwise purchase from the utility grid, and periodically export surplus electricity onto the electrical grid in exchange for credits. Furthermore, farmers can realize operational savings in other areas as well.

Over the past 10 years, NYSERDA and the New York Power Authority have awarded nearly $30 million toward anaerobic digestion projects and related technology, resulting in significant energy savings to New York-based businesses while reducing the use of fossil fuel. Currently, this funding supports 20 operational digester projects. The digester technology funding will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible projects.

Dairy Acceleration Program

Funding for the Dairy Acceleration Program (DAP) will be increased by $850,000, which is in addition to the $1 million announced by the Governor this past August. DAP is jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture and Markets and DEC. DAP is resonating very positively with dairy farmers across the state, most with herds under 300 cows. Combined with some funding still available under the current program, this new funding will serve at least 100 more dairy farms across New York.

Payments under DAP may include: up to $5,000 per farm to write a business plan or develop a combination of a business and facility growth plan; and up to $4,500 to update an existing Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) or $6,000 to develop a new one. Additional funds also will be available to design farm practices described in CNMPs. CNMPs are a conservation system for animal feeding operations designed to address soil erosion and water quality concerns. The CNMP encompasses the storage and handling of manure as well as using and applying manure nutrients on farm land. Through DAP, the state awarded dozens of projects already for farms with an average herd of about 140 cows.

Business planning may include financial analysis, farmstead development planning, facility planning and capital investment planning for increased milk production per cow. Environmental planning includes CNMP development and updates. Farms without an existing CNMP can hire a certified Nutrient Management planner to develop a new CNMP.

To be eligible for DAP, a dairy cattle farm must have complete financial records. Preference will be given to farms with under 300 cows. DAP funding will cover up to 80 percent of a project’s cost.

Modern milk production requires expertise from a number of disciplines, ranging from agronomics, environmental science, animal husbandry, crop science, human resource management, and financial and strategic planning. Through DAP, farmers will be able to tap into the expertise of the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) network, Cornell PRO-DAIRY, certified Agricultural Environmental Management planners and other agricultural programs to facilitate and grow their business and in turn increase production on their farms.

Tom Overton, Professor of Dairy Management at Cornell University and Director of PRO-DAIRY, said, “We have been very pleased with the excellent response of New York dairy farmers to this program to date. The awarded projects have been of high quality and will help these farms both meet the increased demand for milk and be successful as businesses. These new funds will be directed entirely toward funding additional projects under this program. We thank Governor Cuomo and New York State for their vision in recognizing that success at the farm-level is imperative for long-term support of our growing dairy manufacturing industry.”

Gary and Connie Menard, Owners of Happy Haven Dairy, a 60-cow dairy farm in Clinton County, said, “Our dairy farm has begun our very first generational transfer. This brings us to a crossroads that offers many options and possibilities. The Dairy Acceleration Program has allowed us to hire independent consultants to crunch our numbers and evaluate our business with the goal of offering profitable suggestions as we move forward. These types of professional people are always impractical to hire at our farm size because the cost was always prohibitive with the cash flow that smaller farms work with. Our farm has a very exciting future and the Dairy Acceleration Program came at a perfect time for us. We strongly suggest any progressive farm willing to make changes for a better future to look into this program.”

Bear Republic Brewing And Cambrian Innovation Unveil Pioneering Wastewater Reuse System

2014-01-15T10:32:00.001-05:00

Cambrian Innovation and Bear Republic Brewing Company, Inc. today announced the unveiling of an EcoVolt water treatment system at Bear Republic’s brewery in Cloverdale, CA. The EcoVolt system employs a proprietary bioelectric technology to treat wastewater and generate biogas, transforming waste into an asset. Bear Republic is the first brewery to purchase the energy positive EcoVolt system, which will cut water treatment costs, generate clean water and energy for use on site, and significantly reduce the brewery’s CO₂ footprint.

EcoVolt is the world’s first and only industrial-scale, bioelectrically enhanced wastewater treatment and reuse system. Electrically active organisms rapidly eliminate 80-90 percent of the biological oxygen demand (BOD). The bioelectrochemical system also converts carbon dioxide directly into high-quality biogas that can be used on-site to generate both heat and electricity for Bear Republic’s production process. The EcoVolt is expected to deliver an annual return on investment of more than 25 percent. With this pioneering system, the brewery can:

Generate enough clean heat and electricity to eliminate more than 50 percent of the site’s baseload electricity use
Supply more than 10 percent of the facility’s requirements with recycled water
Cut operational costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

“We are pleased to announce this partnership with Cambrian Innovation as Bear Republic phases in this revolutionary wastewater reuse system,” said Richard R. Norgrove, Sr., Bear Republic CEO.

“Sustainable production practices have been a cornerstone of Bear Republic’s business since we started in 1996,” says Richard “Ricardo” Norgrove, Jr., Bear Republic Brewmaster and COO. “Cambrian’s innovative technology not only fulfills this mission, but also has proven to be a valuable asset for our business, especially as California is in the midst of a drought. By removing barriers to production expansion due to water resource limitations, we can fulfill a family dream of expanding our business within Sonoma County and creating a true destination brewery.”

The EcoVolt installation includes a “headworks” unit, modular reactors for treatment and a packaged combined heat and power system. The reactors are delivered on a flatbed truck and are the size of a cargo shipping container, enabling rapid and simple system installation and commissioning. The modular design enables food and beverage companies to incrementally add capacity as they grow, reducing upfront capital expenses. Bear Republic plans to treat current water capacity and expand units as it grows. EcoVolt’s bioelectric capabilities allow for continuous, remote monitoring and control, further reducing operational costs.

“Bear Republic is not just implementing one of the most advanced water treatment and reuse systems ever developed—they’re also saving money from day one,” said Dr. Matthew Silver, Founder and CEO of Cambrian Innovation. "EcoVolt is proven to treat wastewater and generate energy in a single process, reducing operating expenses and aiding with wastewater regulation compliance. With this installation, Bear Republic has reaffirmed its reputation as a pioneering brewery.”

Beer brewing is a water-intensive industry, typically consuming up to ten times the amount of water for beer produced. Bear Republic has worked hard to achieve a 3.5 to 1 ratio and with EcoVolt they expect to do even better. The system enables varying types of water reuse ranging from tank washing to irrigation, cutting sewer charges substantially while ensuring a stable water supply for the City of Cloverdale.

Murphy-Brown and Roeslein Alternative Energy To Develop $100 Million Northern Missouri Biogas Project

2014-01-08T14:46:00.001-05:00

Murphy-Brown of Missouri, LLC (MBM) and Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC announced today their joint plans to develop a $100 million renewable biogas project in northern Missouri. Murphy-Brown is the livestock production subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, Inc.

The project is a unique and innovative model for sustainability that will demonstrate how underutilized agricultural resources can create renewable fuel, benefit the ecosystem and generate economic opportunity. The joint venture envisions combining technology and animal waste to optimize alternative energy production for regional distribution.

Biogas, also called renewable natural gas, is created when organic matter decomposes without oxygen present. Biogas will be harvested from MBM finishing farms in northern Missouri using state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion technology developed and installed by Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC.

Roeslein has engaged investment banking firm Stern Brothers & Co. to underwrite the entire financing for this project. The Missouri Clean Energy District's PACE program is being reviewed as a financing option. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2014.

"This is an important sustainability project for Murphy-Brown of Missouri. Not only does it demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the environment and to our neighbors, but it also allows us to make facility upgrades that are good for our employees, our animals and the continuous improvement of our business in northern Missouri," said Michael Rainwater, general manager of MBM.

"This capital project is a robust investment in our northern Missouri operation, producing additional good-paying jobs and promoting economic development that is vitally important to our region," Rainwater said.

"All of us at Smithfield Foods are tremendously proud of the many people at Murphy-Brown and Roeslein Alternative Energy who have already worked very hard on this project, and we're looking forward to the day when Missouri residents will benefit from this innovative source of biogas energy," said Dennis H. Treacy, Smithfield's chief sustainability officer.

Impermeable synthetic covers will be placed on existing nutrient treatment lagoons, and barn scraper technology will be utilized to deliver raw nutrients of livestock waste to covered lagoons. Alternative fuel equipment will then harvest and commercialize biogas produced inside the lagoons. The biogas will then be utilized as a renewable, green energy resource.

"Environmental benefits from this project will be significant," explained Rudi Roeslein, president of Roeslein Alternative Energy and CEO of Roeslein & Associates, a global leader in systems integration specializing in sophisticated modular construction.

"Utilizing proven anaerobic digestion technology, we expect to achieve reduced greenhouse gas emissions, shrink MBM's carbon footprint, eliminate rainfall effects on treatment systems, all while capturing a valuable and renewable biogas energy resource," Roeslein said.

The anaerobic digestion process modules will be fabricated by Roeslein & Associates' wholly-owned subsidiary, Roeslein Manufacturing, in Red Bud, Illinois. Funding for these projects is not being provided by Smithfield Foods or MBM.

GM Announces $24 Million Landfill Gas Investment

2013-12-06T02:40:00.001-05:00

General Motors announced recently a $24 million investment in electrical generation equipment that will allow the company to use more landfill gas at its Fort Wayne, Ind., and Orion, Mich., assembly plants.

The new equipment will generate more than 14 megawatts of electricity from landfill gas, a renewable energy source, which will help GM avoid producing more than 89,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. That’s equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 18,542 passenger vehicles. GM also will save a combined $10 million in energy costs each year at the facilities.

The investment will provide powerhouse construction at each assembly plant, as well as generation equipment and machinery.

“We have made a public commitment to increase our use of renewable energy within GM to 125 megawatts by 2020,” said Rob Threlkeld, GM global manager of renewable energy. “This expansion represents more than 10 percent of that goal.”

Orion Assembly has used landfill gas since 1999. Currently it helps heat a portion of an upgraded paint shop that uses half the energy per vehicle as the one it replaced. When the electric-generation project is completed, 54 percent of Orion’s energy will come from renewable landfill gas.

Fort Wayne Assembly has used landfill gas since 2002. The investment will increase its landfill gas use four-fold, to 40 percent. Earlier this year, Fort Wayne was named a U.S. EPA Energy Star certified facility for its prudent energy management.

“With this project in place, we are converting landfill gas into our own electricity, which, in essence, allows us to act as our own utility,” said Bill Mortimer, GM co-generation project manager. “Not only does this help us save on energy costs, but it limits the amount of greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere.”

The excess gas flare that normally escapes into the air is now redirected into the facility to create electricity energy for manufacturing.

Construction on both projects has begun, and is expected to be complete and operational by May of 2014.

Largest Dry Fermentation Anaerobic Digestion Facility in the World Opens

2013-12-03T02:18:00.001-05:00

A grand opening event took place Friday, November 22 for the world’s largest dry fermentation anaerobic digestion facility and the first large-scale commercial facility of its kind in the United States. The facility in San José will process an estimated 90,000 tons per year of commercial organic waste that would otherwise go to landfill, instead converting it to 1.6MW of renewable energy and 32,000 tons compost.

Owned and operated by Zero Waste Energy Development Company (ZWEDC), the anaerobic digestion facility is a joint venture between GreenWaste Recovery and Zanker Road Resource Management. The companies came together to take organics recovery to the next level—composting organic material to keep it out of landfill while extracting its energy value.

“Our company started to transform the way we look at waste,” said Rich Cristina, President of ZWEDC and host of the event. Cristina told the 600+ crowd, “We saw there was no such thing as waste, no such thing as garbage. We looked at the materials collected and being composted and saw the potential for greatness.”

Another firm, Zero Waste Energy, LLC (ZWE) holds the exclusive license for the patented anaerobic digestion technology in the Americas and Asia with 20 projects in the planning and development phase throughout North and South America, as well as China and the Middle East. The facility is enclosed and ventilated and includes 16 anaerobic digesters plus four in-vessel composting tunnels. Dry fermentation anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process whereby bacteria break down organic matter in an oxygen-free environment. Decomposition occurs in several stages and converts organic matter into a combustible biogas with a high methane content.

Eric Herbert, CEO of ZWE, was on hand to explain the technology. “We’re sitting in an organic waste processing facility,” said Herbert. “We’re doing what nature does, very efficiently in a controlled way. The significance of this facility is the demonstration of this technology in the U.S. on a major commercial scale. But organic waste and its proper treatment and green energy is what this project is all about.”

The ZWEDC facility models how to reduce landfill statewide and worldwide. The high-quality compost produced will be used to enrich soils, and the renewable biogas will provide both onsite power and power for sale to local users of green energy. Development of the ZWEDC facility moves San José closer to achieving its goal of zero waste to landfill by 2022.

City of San José Mayor Reed spoke about the city’s implementation of its Green Vision, saying, “Our Green Vision has ten bold goals. One of those goals is to be a zero waste city. We already do the recycling part. What about the organics, the largest single category going into the waste stream? We knew we needed to be creative and innovative and build something like this.”

U.S. Congressman Mike Honda congratulated everyone involved with the project for helping future generations. “ The global production of organic waste is 600 billion tons per day, and here in this valley is how to address that global waste accumulating. Because of this first spot, this kind of sustainable activity can now grow in other parts of the country and other parts of the world.”

CalRecycle Director Caroll Mortensen delivered the facility’s official operating permit from the State and affirmed, “This it the type of project that Governor Brown and his administration sees as the future of California, attaining not just environmental goals but creating and sustaining jobs, renewable energy, fuel production, and diverting greenhouse gasses.”

The audience in attendance for the invite-only luncheon, presentations, and tours included elected officials from surrounding cities and counties, as well as business and industry groups representing construction, finance, nonprofits, and education.

Energy Commission Awards Over $29 Million For Biofuel and Natural Gas Technology

2011-07-12T15:31:00.001-04:00

The California Energy Commission has approved more than $29 million for projects that advance biofuels and demonstrate California's commitment to develop cleaner transportation fuels. The seven awards total $29,675,072 and are funded through the Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (AB 118), completing the first two years of the program funding cycle.

"This is a major milestone for our program because it means we have awarded all $175 million from the first two years of the AB 118 program, plus another $14 million from the 2010-11 funding cycle," said Energy Commission Vice Chair James Boyd. "We have awarded more than 82 grants, public agency agreements and program support contracts totaling $189.4 million in AB 118 funding, leveraging more than $425 million in private match funding and creating or retaining about 5,600 jobs. "

These seven awards will infuse more than $44.5 million into the California renewable industry. Recipients estimate the awards will create or retain 616 construction, engineering and management jobs over the next three years. The proposed projects focus on reducing petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, providing jobs by advancing biofuel technology and installing alternative fuel infrastructure for fleets.

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District ($3,000,000 - Match Share $2,663,175)
AC Transit will construct a new hydrogen bus fueling station in Oakland. At full demand, the station will be able to provide enough to fuel up to 12 buses, sufficient for operation of a full-day, 19-hour transit route shift. The fueling station operation will avoid 700 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, displacing 100,000 gallons of diesel gallons equivalent annually. The project is expected to create 20 temporary jobs during construction and two permanent station maintenance and operation jobs.
Biostar Systems ($3,372,314 - Match Share $3,372,314)
BioStar Systems is partnering with Sonoma County Water Agency and Sonoma County Transit to produce 148,000 cubic feet per day of pipeline quality biomethane from dairy waste and food processor waste to support the Sonoma County Transit natural gas fleet. This facility will reduce waste transportation costs for Sonoma County's food industry by an estimated $120,000 per year and cut greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 35,200 tons per year. The project will also generate approximately 94 jobs over the life of the project, including manufacturing and construction jobs.
South Coast Air Quality Management District ($2,600,000 - Match share $6,000,000)
The South Coast Air Quality Management District and their numerous partners will install and upgrade 11 compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling stations throughout Southern California. Several fleets are committed to using these stations, including shuttle service companies, taxi companies, public transit agencies, school districts, waste hauling companies, city fleets, utility fleets and goods movement trucks. It is anticipated that more than 100 green jobs will be created or sustained through this project.
USA Waste of California ($489,040 - Match Share $1,051,021)
USA Waste will upgrade a liquefied natural gas (LNG) station in the City of Corona (Riverside County) to add storage tanks, vaporizers and dispensers that will also add compressed natural gas (CNG) to their current LNG dispensing capabilities. LNG fuel reduces greenhouse gas emission by approximately 15 percent compared to diesel.
CR&R, Inc.* ($4,520,501 - Match Share $18,166,460)
CR&R estimates that this project planned for the City of Perris in Riverside County will produce 120,000 million BTUs of pipeline quality biomethane from nonrecyclable municipal waste using a two-stage anaerobic digestion process. This project would displace the equivalent of 865,000 gallons of diesel, enough to power 60 to 80 heavy duty trash recycling trucks, and reduce an estimated 57,740 tons of carbon dioxide between 2013 and 2020. The project would also create 100 construction jobs and eight permanent facility/operation jobs.
Pixley Biogas* ($4,672,798 - Match Share $4,910,925)
Pixley Biogas intends to build an anaerobic digestion facility in the community of Pixley (Tulare County) that will process more than 36 million gallons of manure from three nearby dairies and produce biogas to be used at the adjacent Calgren Renewable Fuels ethanol biorefinery. The carbon dioxide reductions combined with the avoided manure emissions are estimated to be more than 31,000 metric tons per year - the equivalent to removing 6,300 vehicles from the road. This project should create 23 jobs during construction and an additional two full-time permanent jobs once the facility becomes operational. The project would also help retain nearly 18 jobs at its partner business, Calgren Renewables.
High Mountain Fuels* ($11,020,419 - Match share $11,020,419).
High Mountain Fuels intends to convert renewable landfill biomethane to liquefied natural gas for use as transportation fuel at the Simi Valley landfill facility in Ventura County. The project would demonstrate improved gas separation technology that uses new combinations of materials to provide better power efficiency and improved methane recovery than at other facilities. The project anticipates producing almost 6 million gallons of LNG each year to fuel the company's waste hauling trucks, displacing 3.4 million gallons of diesel fuel. High Mountain Fuels estimates this project will create or retain up to 300 jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emission by more than 36,000 metric tons each year.

*The last three projects will be completed in two phases: administration/design (Phase 1) and construction/operation (Phase 2). The second phase will not begin unless the Commission approves the second phase after completing a thorough environmental analysis of the project.

U.S. Energy Company FirmGreen Creates Jobs, Turning Trash into Fuel

2011-06-15T20:43:00.001-04:00

From Newport Beach, California, the U.S. energy company FirmGreen, Inc. (FirmGreen®) is making big waves in green technology—as the first international shipment of its proprietary biogas cleaning equipment begins this week, with more shipments to follow. Bound for the Novo Gramacho Landfill near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this USA-made equipment—and the landfill gas cleanup project it supports—is creating hundreds of jobs for American manufacturers and Brazilian workers over the next two decades. Such equipment exports are welcome news in a U.S. economy facing an ongoing trade deficit and job shortfalls hovering at some seven million, since the start of the 2007 recession.

Interestingly, the Novo Gramacho landfill where this innovative project occurs is depicted in the internationally acclaimed documentary and 2011 Academy Awards® nominee, Waste Land. In 2010, FirmGreen negotiated an agreement with Brazil’s Gás Verde, S.A., who is the project developer and the plant’s owner-operator, to turn Waste Land’s “dirty gas,” a natural by-product of trash decomposing, into clean usable gas using FirmGreen technology. The resulting “biogas” is an environmental-friendly, highly useful fuel with the energy-equivalent of natural gas.

To fabricate the specialized gas cleaning equipment required for the project, FirmGreen contracted with an established company out of Dublin, Ohio: Guild Associates. Guild employees are also helping start-up Gás Verde’s Biogas Plant. FirmGreen’s CEO, Steve Wilburn, commented, “Our world continues to face significant economic challenges, yet this project demonstrates how bi-cultural teamwork can generate hundreds of jobs, in this case throughout six U.S. states—Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, California, Michigan, and Texas—as well as Brazil. Brazilian contractors are manufacturing some of the Novo Gramacho project components and will take a lead role in the plant’s installation. Together, we are building a sustainable, renewable energy process—environmentally friendly and good for the citizens of both countries.”

In fact, Petrobras, the largest company in Latin America by market capitalization and revenue, will use the biogas from the project to generate over 10% of the thermal energy needed to run its Duque de Caxias Refinery. Petrobras has an impressive record supporting clean energy technologies, and according to the U.S. Government’s EPA LMOP calculator the Novo Gramacho Biogas Plant will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.4 million metric tons, annually. The Novo Gramacho Biogas project is slated to begin commercial operations later this year.

Wilburn asserts, “FirmGreen’s business model demonstrates Americans can, and should, take global leadership roles in renewable technologies. We have the skilled labor pool and ‘can-do’ spirit that makes America great. We can replicate this process in landfills worldwide. We can help rebuild America as an exporter of green technology to the world markets.”

An internationally recognized energy executive and devoted conservationist, Wilburn has had success with similar projects developed in the United States. Most recently, FirmGreen’s Green Energy Center in Ohio won an EPA LMOP Project of the Year Award for converting landfill gas to electricity and CNG for vehicle fuel. Remarkably, FirmGreen has achieved this success without any federal, state, or government subsidies.

Biogas To Power Austin Sewage Treatment Process

2011-05-27T14:44:00.001-04:00

The purchase of a green-powered generator made possible with federal stimulus funds will provide all the electricity needed to run the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant in Southeast Austin.

The Austin City Council approved the $1.2 million purchase on Thursday, May 26. Funding is from a $7.5 million federal stimulus grant awarded to Austin Energy to increase the energy efficiency of municipal facilities. Austin Energy is the energy manager for the City of Austin.

The biogas generator will utilize methane from the sludge treatment process at Hornsby Bend and will be able to consistently generate 700 kilowatts (kW) of power, more than the 500 kW needed to run the treatment plant. The excess electricity produced and fed back into the electric grid will enable Austin Water, which manages the treatment plant, to receive a credit on its electric bill.

Because the generator uses the methane and not a fossil fuel, the electricity produced is considered renewable energy. It is estimated that more than 4.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity will be generated annually, the equivalent of powering 370 average-sized Austin homes year round. The clean generation also will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,867 tons or the equivalent of avoiding 5 million vehicle miles traveled in Austin.

The Council action also includes an option for Austin Water to enter into an eight-year maintenance agreement for $1.5 million if funding is available to provide regularly scheduled preventative maintenance and corrective maintenance to extend the life of the generator.

The generator is funded separately but related to green infrastructure improvements currently under way at Hornsby Bend by Austin Water to enhance the energy efficiency of the biosolids processing and increase biogas production.
Hornsby Bend receives the sewage solids reclaimed from the millions of gallons of wastewater that Austin’s wastewater plants treat every day. All of Austin’s sewage solids are pumped to Hornsby Bend where they are treated to kill pathogens and the resulting biosolids are recycled as the compost product ‘Dillo Dirt.’

Electricity From Food Scraps and Manure

2011-05-25T17:08:00.001-04:00

The first of five farm-based biogas plants that convert manure and food scraps into electricity for hundreds of homes will be dedicated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, May 31^st at the Jordan Dairy Farm in Rutland, Massachusetts.

Governor Deval Patrick will join local farmers and other project partners to officially open the plant that helps solve several problems for the state's dairy industry: it will allow farms to better manage their manure, lower their energy and operating costs, and sell electricity to the grid to provide a new source of revenue. (One cow will create enough electricity to power a single home for a year.)

Along with farm manure, the facility's anaerobic digester will also recycle food scraps and residue from food manufacturers that would normally end up in landfills, and convert it to energy and organic fertilizer. Hood, Kayem, Cabot and Cains have signed contracts to supply food scraps to the plant, and buy renewable power from the farm company formed to manage the venture -- Agreen Energy.

This unique project is the culmination of a 10-year dream by local dairy farmers and Agreen who developed a first-in-the-nation business model. quasar energy group perfected the made-in-US technology, and New England Organics, a division of Casella Waste Systems, will operate the facility. Coordinated state and federal energy and permitting policies also played a major role in making the facility possible, including the creation of the first pathway to permit smaller farms to use digesters as a business.

Fremont Community Digester Commences Construction

2011-05-22T19:31:00.001-04:00

NOVI Energy LLC announced the Fremont Community Digester (FCD) power project has secured financing and begun construction. The complete mix anaerobic digester plant in Fremont, Michigan closed financing on May 13, 2011 and is scheduled to begin commercial operation in summer 2012. It is one of the first large-scale anaerobic digesters using co-digestion to be built in the United States.

The $22 million project will utilize proven co-digestion technology to process approximately 100,000 tons per year of both organic waste and agricultural waste into "green" biogas (methane) which will be used to generate approximately 3 megawatts of renewable electricity. The power will be sold to Consumers Energy under a long term contract. The plant will also produce dilute liquid fertilizer and compost for purchase by regional agricultural businesses.

The Fremont Community Digester will reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills near its feedstock suppliers, improve the sustainability of area farms as they use FCD's organically- based fertilizer instead of traditional fossil fuel-derived fertilizers and improve the environmental quality of runoff water in the area. The project has signed feedstock supply contracts with Fremont-based Gerber Products Company and several other major regional food processors and agricultural operations. Supplying organic waste to the digester can be a key component of an organization's zero-landfill strategy.

NOVI Energy is FCD's developer and NE BioFuels, a NOVI subsidiary, is the managing partner and minority owner of the project. "This project will help the West Michigan regional economy by adding investment, jobs and taxes locally, bringing together local industrial and agricultural interests and adding reliable, renewable electricity to Michigan's electric grid," said Anand Gangadharan, president and CEO of NOVI Energy. "Fremont Community Digester can be the first of many such projects to convert industrial and agricultural wastes into electricity or other needed commodities, thereby addressing a significant environmental concern in the U.S."

Fremont Community Digester's majority owner is INDUS Energy, LLC, an investment group located in Bingham Farms, MI. North Central Cooperative of Wabash, IN is a minority owner and will market the plant's fertilizer and compost. Comerica Bank is providing debt financing for the project with the backing of a debt guaranty awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under its 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program.

Fremont Community Digester LLC, the project company, has hired DeMaria Building Co. as its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor. FCD issued a notice to proceed to DeMaria to begin building the plant.

NOVI Energy is an entrepreneurial company that provides a broad range of services in energy consulting, energy management and energy infrastructure project development for utility, industrial, institutional and commercial clients across the United States and the world.

Landfill Gas Powers GM Orion Assembly Plant

2011-05-19T14:05:00.001-04:00

When production of the fuel-efficient 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano begin this fall, 40 percent of the energy to power the General Motors Orion Assembly Plant where they are built will come from burning landfill gas created nearby.

The use of the landfill gas, which saves GM $1.1 million a year in energy costs, also cuts the amount of greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released in the air. During most of the year, the system runs exclusively on landfill gas primarily to generate steam for heating and compressed air.

"Orion is a great example of the latest technologies employed by GM manufacturing around the globe," said Eric Stevens, GM vice president of Global Manufacturing Engineering. "As we converted the facility to support the small car program, we took every opportunity to engineer in flexibility and lean manufacturing concepts."

Use of landfill gas is just one of the sustainable methods that lessen the plant's environmental impact. Others include:

Lighting system upgrades that saved more than 5,944 megawatts of electricity per year and $430,000 while also cutting CO2 by 3,676 metric tons. Plant workers track energy use on an hourly basis with sophisticated software, enabling them to see real-time usage by department to improve their equipment shut-down activities.

Plant workers reduced total waste by 26 percent from 2005 to 2009.

An upgraded paint shop is heated by natural and landfill gas, and uses half of the energy per vehicle of the one it replaced. Both the Sonic and Verano use a new eco paint that eliminates the need for a primer oven and increases quality and appearance due to waterborne base coats.

"Environmentally friendly choices often translate to higher efficiency and quality," said Maureen Midgley, GM executive director of Global Manufacturing Engineering. "Take our new paint shop – it was designed for optimal efficiency and delivers premium paint appearance for our vehicles.

"With these improvements, we'll reduce greenhouse gas production by about 80,000 metric tons at a full three-shift capacity," Midgley said. "This is equivalent to the emissions from 14,000 vehicles per year, and the electricity reduction equals at the output from 3,500 homes."

Some of the diverted material is directed to the cars being made. Recycled cardboard packaging from Orion and other GM plants and used denim are part of the Verano's sound insulation.

Orion also has embraced flexible manufacturing, allowing it to quickly respond to changes in customer preferences. Production lines were reworked, creating more space to house material onsite that once took up space in other buildings. This approach reduces the overall environmental impact of the plant's material systems, but it also provides significant cost savings to the overall small car program.

The 2012 turbocharged Chevrolet Sonic is a small car available in five-door and sedan models.

The 2012 Buick Verano compact sedan includes 10 standard air bags, an available heated steering wheel and a next-generation radio system with OnStar-powered connectivity.

Production of both vehicles will begin at Orion later this fall. They will be on sale by the end of the year.

GE to Showcase Biogas Technology for EPA, US Farmers

2011-05-14T18:44:00.001-04:00

With the environmental impacts of agricultural activities coming under greater scrutiny, Bio Town Ag in Indiana and a community “cow power” project in Dane County, Wis., are among a growing number of U.S. farms to install anaerobic digesters and GE’s Jenbacher biogas engines to recycle livestock wastes into renewable electricity that is used to support onsite farm operations and rural transmission grids.

GE is showcasing its ecomagination-approved Jenbacher biogas engine technology at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual AgSTAR national conference in Boise, Idaho, May 10-12, 2011. Created by the EPA in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, AgSTAR promotes the installation of digesters to convert livestock waste and other agricultural biomass into methane-rich, renewable biogas. As a result, less methane is available to escape into the atmosphere.

“Biogas production systems are becoming increasingly important tools in helping farms reduce their on-site emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” said Roger George, general manager North America gas engines for GE Power & Water. “As federal and state governments work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase local renewable energy production, we expect even more farms across the country to install biogas to energy systems to help meet their operational and environmental requirements.”

In addition to reducing onsite emissions, agricultural biogas projects can help farmers comply with more stringent local water quality standards. By capturing agricultural wastes for biogas production, farmers can avoid the need to dispose these materials on their lands. As a result, lower levels of various biomass contaminants can potentially escape into nearby rivers, lakes and ponds.

GE’s biogas engine technology continues to be deployed at some of the country’s most innovative agricultural biogas projects, including the Bio Town Ag project in Indiana and a recently completed, multi-farm digester project in Dane County, Wis.:

Bio Town Ag community digester biogas project, Indiana:

Featuring three, 1-megawatt (MW) Jenbacher JMS 320 generator sets, Bio Town Ag marks GE’s so far largest U.S. agricultural biogas-to-energy project. The project also is the first to combine GE’s Jenbacher gen-set technology with advanced digester technology supplied by GHD, Inc., the largest U.S. supplier of agricultural anaerobic digesters.

Bio Town Ag is a livestock farm with 4,500 beef cattle and 800 sow swine, located in Reynolds, Ind., a corn, soybean, dairy and swine farming region that was previously dubbed “Bio Town USA” by Indiana’s governor. The farm is developing a 3.1-MW digester biogas-to-energy plant powered by GE’s Jenbacher engines to transform its livestock manure into renewable energy. Bio Town Ag also plans to recover solids for bedding, convert post-digestion liquids into fertilizer and recycle water for on-site uses.

“Our digester biogas-to-energy project is a centerpiece of Indiana’s efforts to showcase the various technologies that are available to help us recycle our agricultural biomass resources and produce renewable fuel for vehicles and cleaner electricity for our state and country,” said Brian Furrer, Bio Town Ag president and CEO.

"GHD is proud to be involved in the BioTown Ag project, which will bring a true community anaerobic digester to fruition,” said Steve Dvorak, president of Chilton, Wis.-based GHD.

“The digester will process farm waste, as well as wastes from the surrounding community, to produce renewable electricity on a local scale. This project creates jobs, provides social benefits for the community and generates additional, viable business opportunities for agriculture.”

Dane County community dairy farm “cow power” project, Wisconsin:

Three family-run dairy farms in Dane County are participating in Wisconsin’s first “cluster” manure-digester project located near Waunakee. The project was launched by the county in 2010 under a “Clean Energy and Clean Lakes Resolution” to build a community digester.

Wisconsin-based biogas energy developer Clear Horizons LLC built, owns and operates the project. A total of 2,500 cows are supplying the manure, which is collected in three, 1.25 million gallon digesters. The biomass is converted into methane-rich biogas, which is then used by two, 1-MW Jenbacher JMC 320 gen-sets to generate renewable electricity that is sold to Alliant Energy under Wisconsin’s renewable portfolio standard.

In addition to renewable energy production, Dane County’s initiative is the first U.S. community digester specifically built to help farmers reduce biomass run-offs into surrounding freshwater bodies. Dane County’s digester removes much of the phosphorus from the livestock waste that had been linked to algae overgrowth in the Lake Mendota watershed.

“One of the keys to implementing successful biomass to energy projects is to work with technology partners like GE that have the expertise to offer cost-effective solutions that help projects optimize their rate of return ,” said Dan Nemke, general manager for Clear Horizons, which has installed Jenbacher engines for previous U.S. farm-to-energy projects.

Between its creation in 1993 and 2010, more than 160 manure digester projects have been installed in the United States with the AgSTAR program’s assistance. Opportunities for more agricultural digester-energy projects still exist at more than 8,000 U.S. livestock facilities, according to AgSTAR.

Many of GE’s Jenbacher products are ecomagination approved, providing customers with products that improve their operating performance and reduce environmental impact. Ecomagination is GE’s business strategy to help meet customers’ demand for products that improve their bottom line and reduce their impact on the environment. This also will drive growth for GE that delivers for its investors. Ecomagination reflects GE’s commitment to invest in a future that creates innovative solutions to environmental challenges. From 2010 to 2015, GE has committed to: doubling R&D to $ 10 billion; growing ecomagination revenues twice as fast as overall company revenue; reducing GE’s energy intensity 50 percent; reducing water consumption 25 percent; and inspiring a competitive energy future.

Raytheon to Use Green Power from McKinney Landfill for North Texas Sites

2011-04-19T23:55:00.001-04:00

Raytheon Company has contracted renewable energy from a landfill electricity-generation project in McKinney, Texas, as part of the company's commitment to sustain the environment.

Raytheon is acquiring the power through Noble Americas Energy Solutions LLC from Montauk Energy's McKinney landfill gas-to-energy facility. The landfill is part of the North Texas Municipal Water District.

"Five Raytheon north Texas sites will benefit from the green power supplied by the project," said Mike Allgeier, vice president, Raytheon Network Centric Systems, and Raytheon north Texas regional site executive. "This reflects our corporate responsibility and is just one example of Raytheon's sustainability efforts to engage with the community to conserve energy and natural resources."

Raytheon will receive Green-e certified renewable energy credits as part of this agreement. The contract also supports the company's 2015 goal to reduce its greenhouse gases by 10 percent from a 2008 baseline.

Methane gas, a natural by-product of landfill decomposition, will power generators to commercially supply electricity. The landfill project broke ground December 2010 and is on track to provide Raytheon north Texas sites with green power by the second half of this year.