Digesters

Second Annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards Announced

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:38:59 GMT

Source: Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is announcing the winners of the second annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awardsat a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. The program recognizes dairy farms and businesses of all sizes for practices that advance the industry’s commitment to healthy products, healthy communities and a healthy planet.

“The strength of the award winners’ stories illustrates why consumers can be confident about choosing their favorite dairy foods and beverages,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, which was founded by dairy producers. “These and thousands of other actions being taken every day — both large and small — contribute to the industry’s overall commitment to a healthy future for the next generation.”

The winners were selected based on results that delivered triple-bottom-line results to advance economic, environmental and social sustainability. An independent panel of judges — which included experts from academic institutions, government, dairy science organizations, nongovernmental organizations and media as well as environmental and dairy industry leaders — also assessed the potential for adoption by others as well as demonstrated learning, innovation and improvement.

“This year’s winners include dairy farms and businesses from across the country who took steps to reduce their environmental impact, improve their profitability and increase their contribution to a sustainable 21st century food system,” said Molly Jahn, professor of genetics and agronomy at University of Wisconsin-Madison and a member of the awards’ judges panel.

The 2013 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards Winners include:

Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability

Petersen Dairy Farm, Appleton, Wis.: When the city of Appleton, Wis., decided to build a high school less than half of a mile from Petersen Dairy Farm, the Petersen family began exploring composting as a way to manage the dairy’s manure and associated odors. Now compost is sold at the dairy by the 5-gallon pail or truckload, primarily to home gardeners. Visitors witness firsthand how their old newspapers are recycled as bedding for the cows, or mixed with manure, composted and ultimately returned to their gardens for use as mulch and to their yards for plant food. By turning their urban location into an asset, the Petersens prove that cows can be good neighbors.

Prairieland Dairy, Firth, Neb.: A creative partnership among four families put this dairy on the path to long-term prosperity and allows employees at Firth, Neb.-based Prairieland Dairy to focus on their specific talents. Sustainable design is reflected in every aspect of the facilities, which were built to be efficient and low-impact while maximizing cow comfort. Automatic cooling, waste management and pest control systems are just part of the solution. Prairieland Dairy also taps into the natural power of wind, gravity, and the geothermal properties of well water to reduce the use of energy, water and equipment, for savings estimated at more than $200,000.

Skyridge Farms, Sunnyside, Wash.: Dan DeGroot, owner of Skyridge Farms, a dairy in Sunnyside, Wash., cultivated an organization that optimizes performance and preserves the environment. Since 2003, DeGroot has improved lighting, added occupancy sensors and installed a programmable logic control system. The management team can automatically control lighting, fans, and soaker and flush systems. By doing so, they maintain optimum performance, reduce costs and keep the herd comfortable. This upgrade alone yields a 20 percent energy savings annually across the five freestall barns. With composting, Skyridge Farms harvests manure nutrients, provides quality bedding for the herd and eliminates 600 truckloads annually previously used to transport manure.

Honorable mention McCarty Family Farms, Rexford, Kan.: The McCarty Family, owners of McCarty Family Farms, have revitalized their rural northwestern Kansas community by providing more than 100 direct jobs, creating a need for additional housing and in turn increasing school enrollment. McCarty Family Farms’ unique “cow to cup” partnership with Dannon and the addition of an on-site processing plant has improved economic stability while aggressively reducing their environmental impact. The plant has yielded significant progress toward the dairy’s water reduction goal. Approximately 59,400 gallons of raw milk from the three dairies is processed through an evaporator every day to remove excess water before being separated into cream and skim milk. Every drop of the water removed during the evaporation process — 39,000 gallons per day — is reused throughout the dairies.

Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability

Unilever, Henderson, Nev., plant: Since 2010, Unilever plants worldwide have been implementing the company’s Sustainable Living Plan — an initiative that is working to improve consumer health and well-being, to reduce environmental impact and to enhance livelihoods. Employees at the Henderson, Nev.-based ice cream plant worked side by side with environmental experts to analyze energy efficiency and water usage. The team identified an opportunity to reconfigure, automate and optimize systems to reduce electricity use by 13 percent, natural gas use by 16 percent and water consumption by more than 1.1 million gallons per year. The Unilever ice cream plants in the Americas division regularly meet and share best practices to help reach Unilever’s ambitious environmental goals.

Outstanding Achievement in Energy Efficiency

Ballard Family Dairy & Cheese, Gooding, Idaho: Energy efficiency is sometimes overlooked, but at Ballard Family Dairy & Cheese in Gooding, Idaho, the Ballards see it as a way to reduce their overhead costs and eliminate propane use. An energy audit and a team of energy management experts helped identify four primary areas of savings, which included using solar thermal power for the hot water system, installing LED lighting, replacing vacuum pumps and adjusting the milk cooling process. The Ballards achieved their goals, saving $23,000 annually and reducing the dairy’s carbon footprint by 121,500 pounds per year, while decreasing its water footprint by 365,000 gallons annually.

Outstanding Achievement in Renewable Energy

Green Valley Dairy, Krakow, Wis.: At Green Valley Dairy in Krakow, Wis., the management team’s “waste not” philosophy has them constantly evaluating opportunities to reclaim energy, recycle water and repurpose manure nutrients. In 2005, Green Valley Dairy set out to build on this belief. The management team determined that anaerobic digesters would help manage manure nutrients and reduce odors while decreasing the dairy’s carbon footprint. Although it was one of the first digesters in Wisconsin, the benefits of this plan quickly gained public support. Today, three anaerobic digesters have the capacity to produce 1,200 kWh of “green” electricity — most of which is used on the dairy or sold to the local utility.

Honorable mention Fulper Family Farmstead, Lambertville, N.J.: Fulper Family Farmstead in Lambertville, N.J., has focused on environmentally friendly activities, including soil conservation, crop rotation and farmland preservation, since the dairy’s origin in 1909. As operating costs continue to rise, the Fulpers found that a solar energy system would increase energy efficiency, sustainability and revenue, while decreasing the farm’s carbon footprint and utility costs. Installed in 2011, the free-standing, ground-mounted system creates 500 kWh daily — enough to cover all of the operation’s electricity needs and power approximately 100 homes. Today, the farmstead sells $30,000 in renewable energy credits annually.

Collaborative Partnerships Instrumental in Advancing Industry’s Sustainability

“This awards program is a great example of how systemwide collaborative efforts can help dairy contribute to a bright future,” said Paul Rovey, an Arizona dairy producer, member of the judges panel and chair of Dairy Management Inc™. “We are proud to share these examples of dairy’s ongoing commitment to stewardship and sustainability, which is made even more powerful because of collaborative relationships with partners.”

Adding their support to the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment and the Sustainability Awards program are this year’s gold- and silver-level sponsors. Gold sponsors include the Center for Advanced Energy Studies/Idaho National Laboratory, DeLaval, DVO Anaerobic Digesters, Elanco, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), World Wildlife Fund and Zoetis (formerly known as Pfizer Animal Health). Silver-level sponsors include Dolphin WaterCare, quasar energy group, Syngenta and the U.S. Dairy Export Council®.

The awards program is part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, an industrywide effort to measure and improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the dairy industry. Since its launch in 2008, the Sustainability Commitment has gained the support and participation of more than 700 professionals across the industry as well as others from academic, government and nongovernmental organizations.

To learn more about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, the winners and the best practices in place at their operations, visit USDairy.com/Sustainability/Awards .
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Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a forum for the dairy industry to work together pre-competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster innovation and increase sales. The Innovation Center aligns the collective resources of the industry against common priorities to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the industry. The Board of Directors for the Innovation Center includes dairy industry leaders representing key producer organizations, dairy cooperatives, processors, manufacturers and brands. The Innovation Center is staffed by Dairy Management Inc™. Visit USDairy.com for more information about the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy Supports ‘Cow Power’ Film

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:41:38 GMT

The focus is on how dairy producers from this state transform cow manure into electricity to power their farms and hundreds of local homes and businesses.

Source: Dairy Management Inc.

To help increase consumer awareness and understanding of dairy’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the dairy producer-created Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® provided funding support to a film that focuses on how Vermont dairy producers transform cow manure into electricity to power their farms and hundreds of local homes and businesses.

Cow Power was produced by Vermont native and Emerson College student Allison Gillette. In the film, Gillette shows how contemporary agricultural challenges can be solved by advancing technology, forward-thinking investors and sheer determination.

Like many U.S. dairy farms, the Vermont producers featured in the film struggle with high feed costs and land development pressures in attempting to sustain their farm into the next generation. They found a solution with the help of local and state governments, a local electric utility manager, and neighbors and local businesses willing to pay a small premium to purchase renewable power produced by their farms.

More information about the film can be found here .

New York’s Largest On-Farm Biogas Power Project Generates Renewable Energy for Nearly 1,000 Homes

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:32:43 GMT

Dairy digester mixes manure with waste from local food processors to produce power.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) joined state and local officials today at the grand opening of New York state’s largest on-farm, “co-digestion” biogas power project, marking an important boost to the state’s renewable energy production and sustainability efforts.

The facility is located at Synergy Dairy, a 2,000-head dairy farm in Covington, Wyoming County, southwest of Rochester, N.Y.

CH4 Biogas LLC built, owns and operates the project under the name Synergy Biogas LLC. The Synergy Biogas LLC plant also is the state’s first biogas project specifically designed for the co-digestion, or processing, of animal and food wastes. The biogas created in the 120,000-gallon co-digester is fueling a GE ecomagination-qualified, Jenbacher J420 biogas engine to generate 1.4 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity.

By anaerobically digesting waste from local food processors in addition to the dairy’s cow manure, the 425 ton per day, mixed-waste facility is more cost-effective. The facility has created about a half dozen jobs while enhancing the efficiency of the 30-employee farm’s operations and sustaining area food manufacturers and haulers.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is providing $1 million in incentives for the facility.

“This Synergy co-digestion biogas project is the cutting edge of energy technology and is an absolute revenue-producing game changer for our dairies and local economies,” said Senator Schumer, whose office helped coordinate federal and local funding for the project. “By recycling agricultural waste in biogas plants, dairies can reduces disposal costs, produce affordable renewable energy to run their operations and gain a revenue source by selling excess power to the grid. I’ve been proud to help keep this project on track to ensure it crossed the finish line.”

Schumer’s office also worked with the Wyoming County Industrial Development Agency to help Synergy Biogas LLC complete the facility and partner with Cornell University and Rochester Institute of Technology to evaluate the project’s performance.

The project is expected to reduce the dairy farm’s base load greenhouse gas emissions by about 8,500 tons of CO2 annually, which is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 1,700 automobiles. The facility also will produce an estimated 17,500 cubic yards of bedding material for livestock while reducing manure odors and helping the farm manage nutrients applied to cropland.

Through its partnerships with local food manufacturers, Synergy Biogas LLC already has diverted more than 1.14 million gallons of food waste from landfills and wastewater treatment facilities, highlighting another environmental benefit of the project.

“We are excited to launch our new co-digestion biogas project that will optimize the recycling of agricultural biomass waste into a valuable renewable energy resource to help reduce our operational costs,” said John Noble, president and CEO of Synergy Dairy.

National Grid is supporting the project as part of its broader strategy to help upgrade New York state’s energy infrastructure, promote further economic growth in the region and encourage the development of renewable energy resources. Under its renewable energy marketing program, the utility is purchasing the electricity generated by the biogas plant, which it states will produce approximately 10,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year—enough electricity to power nearly 1,000 homes. National Grid provided a $750,000 grant through the company’s Renewable Energy and Economic Development Program to cover the cost of building the substation that connects the facility to the grid.

Northeast Energy Systems, a U.S. distributor of GE’s Jenbacher engines, supplied the engine to CH4 Biogas.

Generating Renewable Energy Down on the Farm

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:32:56 GMT

John Noble, a sixth generation dairyfarmer, got his first taste of the benefits of biogas about a decade ago, when he installed a small system on his Wyoming County farm.

Now, Noble and a host of investors, including a handful of local farm families, are getting into biogas in a big way.

Synergy Biogas, an entity owned by Florida-based renewable energy company CH4 Biogas, last week took the wraps off its new biogas power project, located on the 1,850-cow dairyfarm that Synergy owns in Wyoming County.

It is the biggest biogas project located on a farm in New York and can take in up to 425 tons of manure and food waste each day and can generate up to 10,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy in return -- enough to power 1,000 homes.

Noble, Synergy Dairy’s president and chief executive officer, said he expects the project will help reduce the farm’s operating costs, while also helping solve its waste management issues in a more environmentally friendly way. The electricity the 1.4-megawatt biogas plant generates is sold into the state’s wholesale power market.

Noble said he saw the potential of biogas years ago, after installing a 135-kilowatt biogas digester on his own family’s farm. “We got some experience with it and saw how it can be a win-win,” he said.

The biogas plant takes manure from the dairyfarm and mixes it with food waste from companies such as Kraft Foods and Wegmans, as well as local bakeries, said Lauren Toretta, CH4 Biogas’ vice president. The waste is mixed in a 120,000-gallon digester, producing gas that is used to power a biogas engine that can generate up to 1.4 megawatts of electricity.

“We’re proving one farmer’s trash in another person’s electricity,” said U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., during a grand opening ceremony last week.

Beyond being a new source of renewable electricity, the biogas plant cuts the amount of food waste going into landfills and reduces the 8,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the dairyfarm -- the greenhouse gas equivalent of 1,700 automobiles. It also yields an estimated 17,500 cubic yards of bedding material for the farm’s livestock.

“It’s a quantum leap forward in environmental sustainability for New York dairyfarms,” said Daniel Aubertine, the commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Francis Murray, the president and chief executive officer of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, said there’s plenty of potential for biogas plants to be built across the state. The state’s dairyfarms produce enough manure to fuel biogas plants with a capacity to power as many as 900,000 homes and could reduce the New York dairy industry’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent.

But biogas plants, like the Synergy facility, aren’t economically viable without millions in subsidies. The Synergy Biogas plant received more than $4.5 million in incentives -- including $2.8 million in federal investment tax credits, $1 million in aid from NYSERDA and $750,000 from National Grid to build a new substation at the site.

“We’re talking about the future here, and that requires government support,” Murray said.

While farm-based biogas projects are well-established in Europe, they’re much less common in the United States. The Synergy Biogas project will provide the opportunity to showcase the potential of biogas facilities and also monitor their efficiency and effectiveness, said Curt Gooch, a Cornell University researcher.

“It’s the early days with these technologies, but it’s partnerships like this that will stimulate future growth,” said Ken Daly, National Grid’s New York president.

Researchers, over the next 18 months, will monitor the plant’s effectiveness in converting manure and food waste into biogas, and how good a job it does at turning that gas into electricity. They also will track the impact the plant has on the farm’s carbon footprint, he said.

Noble estimates that the biogas project will reduce the dairyfarm’s operating costs by $80,000 to $100,000 a year.

“This is a real, live project,” Noble said. “It is the next step in trying to be good stewards of the land.”

email: drobinson@buffnews.com

USDA Announces Funding for Projects to Boost Renewable Energy Production, Reduce Energy Consumption

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:36:10 GMT

Washington State dairy will install an anaerobic digester and sell the resulting electricity to a utility.

Source: USDA news release

A Washington State dairy is among 244 renewable energy projects nationwide that have received funding to reduce energy consumption and costs, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Oct. 19.

The projects are focused on helping agricultural producers and rural small businesses. They include wind, biomass, solar and other renewable energy projects. Funding is made available through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). In all, USDA announced over $16 million in energy investments.

Edaleen Cow Power LLC, located near Lynden, Wash., has been selected to receive a REAP Loan and Grant Combination of $2,638,000 to install an anaerobic digester and sell the resulting electricity to a utility. The project is anticipated to generate 4,635 Megawatt hours per year. Edaleen Dairy’s 2,450-head herd will be the sole manure source for the project, USDA said, and the dairy will benefit by from the bedding byproduct the digester produces.

In Coos County, N.H., Balsams View, LLC has been selected to receive a grant to replace an outdated heating system with a state of the art, high-efficiency, wood fired biomass boiler system. The new energy-efficient system is expected to use 77% less wood.

In Augusta, Wis., farmer Matthew Gabler has been selected to receive a grant to install a new 11-kilowatt wind turbine producing approximately 29,000 kilowatt-hours a year for his farm.

REAP offers financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. These federal funds leverage other funding sources for businesses.

For a complete listing of Rural Energy for America Program grant and loan recipients announced Oct. 19, please click here .

For additional information on Rural Development projects, please visit Rural Development’s new interactive web map featuring program funding and success stories for fiscal years 2009-2011. The data can be found here .

New York Dairy Wins 2013 Agricultural Environmental Management Award

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:41:10 GMT

Family has farmed the land for 100 years, and today its thriving dairy farm uses cutting-edge technology to increase profits and protect the environment.

Source: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets news release

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today announced that Sheland Farms of Ellisburg, N.Y., is the recipient of the 2013 New York State Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Award.

The Shelmidine family, which operates the farm, along with the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, were honored by the State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Empire State Potato Growers and American Agriculturist Magazine during the Agricultural Leadership Luncheon at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls.

“I congratulate the Shelmidine family on this tremendous achievement,” said Commissioner Aubertine. “For 100 years, the Shelmidine’s have been farming this land in Jefferson County. From generation to generation, their family has grown and their farm has persevered. Today, it is a thriving dairy farm using cutting edge technology to increase profits and protect the environment.”

Sheland Farms milks approximately 700 cows and utilizes 2,100 acres of land to grow all the crops needed to feed the dairy cows and young stock on the farm. They use reduced soil plowing practices and cover crops to enhance the health of the soil and increase the amount of organic carbon that can be sequestered and utilized by growing crops. These proven conservation systems also reduce the loss of nutrients and topsoil to the nearby waters of Sandy Creek, an important tributary to Lake Ontario.

Sheland Farms made the necessary investments in the farm to not only improve efficiencies and minimize impacts to the local watershed but taken an extra step by covering their manure storage, successfully capturing and filtering methane emissions. Sheland Farms are also digesting cow manure to produce a clean, renewable source of electricity for the operation of the farm and utility grid. These advanced conservation systems put into practice on the farm protect the watershed and reduce climate changing emissions, in effect improving the global environment.

With the help of state and federal funding from sources like NYS’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), Sheland Farms has invested in conservation practice systems to protect water quality by eliminating runoff from barnyard, feed storage, and milkhouse areas. Diverting and collecting rainwater or melting snow away from these areas minimizes pollution concerns from manure and allows for nutrient recycling when manure is properly applied to fields as natural fertilizers to crops. Conservation practices like these are a win-win scenario for both the farm’s economic bottom line and the environment.

The Shelmidine family is very active in its community, serving on the local Cornell Cooperative Extension Board, Jefferson County Agricultural Development Board, Jefferson County Farmland Protection Board, and in town government. In addition, the Shelmidine family participates in the NYS and Jefferson County Farm Bureaus, 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association. The Shelmidines also volunteer in both school and church organizations and have opened their farm for a number of community and educational tours. Finally, to further support their commitment to the environment beyond Jefferson County, Doug Shelmidine has served on the nationwide USDA Agricultural Air Quality Taskforce for 10 years.

The Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District typifies outstanding service to the farming community of the county and beyond. The District offers a wide variety of programs to farmers, including comprehensive nutrient management planning assistance, technical assistance and conservation equipment rental. Members of the District provide technical assistance to all farmers regardless of whether they are involved with a state or federal grant program. Christine Watkins, Executive Director and Certified Nutrient Management Planner, also provides training and education assistance to other Districts at numerous training events across the state helping to ensure that all Districts have the capacity to serve the agricultural community statewide.

Since 1993, the EPF (originally known as the Environmental Trust Fund) has been funding programs that help farmers to apply conservation on their lands, thereby protecting drinking water supplies and water resources across the state. Since the EPF was signed into law 20 years ago on Aug. 4, 1993, over $120 million has been invested in the State’s Agricultural Environmental Management Initiative helping farms like the Shelmidines preserve and protect New York’s vital natural resources. When the value of clean water for tourism, boating and fishing is factored in with avoided water treatment costs, collectively conservation projects supported through the EPF provide a huge economic benefit as well as a cleaner environment.

New York’s AEM program is a model for the entire nation. Its incentive-based approach protects natural resources and meets economic needs in the field of agriculture.

USDA and Dairy Producers Renew Sustainability Agreement

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:38:59 GMT

The agreement accelerates the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms.

Source: USDA

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack today renewed a historic agreement with U.S. dairy producers to accelerate the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms, both of which help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses on their operations. The pact extends a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009.

“Through this renewed commitment, USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy will continue research that helps dairy farmers improve the sustainability of their operations,” Vilsack said. “This vital research also will support the dairy industry as it works to reach its long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.”

The Secretary signed the agreement this afternoon at the White House and was joined by representatives of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Dairy Management, including Thomas P. Gallagher, CEO of the center. One objective of the MOU is to increase the construction of anaerobic digesters and explore innovative ways to use products previously considered waste streams from dairy production, processing and handling.

USDA support for agricultural and waste-to-energy research has played a key role in the agreement’s success to date. Since signing the MOU, USDA has made nearly 180 awards that helped finance the development, construction, and biogas production of anaerobic digester systems with Rural Development programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, Value Added Producer Grants, amongst others. These systems capture methane and produce renewable energy for on-farm use and sale onto the electric grid. Additionally, during this period, USDA awarded approximately 140 REAP loans and grants to help dairy farmers develop other types of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems at their operations.

Also, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has provided $257 million in funding since 2009 that has helped more than 6,000 dairy farmers plan and implement conservation practices to improve sustainability. NRCS support for the dairy industry has resulted in 354 on-farm and in-plant energy audits as well as 18 conservation innovation grants for dairy-related projects during the past three years.

Anaerobic digester technology is a proven method of capturing methane from waste products, such as manure, and converting into heat and electricity. The technology utilizes generators that are fueled by the captured methane.. Dairy operations with anaerobic digesters routinely generate enough electricity to power hundreds of homes per year.

Gallagher added, “We have a long and strong relationship with USDA and Secretary Vilsack, and dairy farmers and the dairy industry are very happy that USDA is entering into the next MOU with the Innovation Center. We are all interested in sustainable agriculture and producing good food responsibly, while bolstering an important rural economy, and this new MOU lays out the roadmap for more improvements. That’s good for dairy, good for the economy and good for consumers.”

President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities.

USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values. President Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are committed to a smarter use of Federal resources to foster sustainable economic prosperity and ensure the government is a strong partner for businesses, entrepreneurs and working families in rural communities.

USDA has a portfolio of programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

Two Steps Forward for Dairy Digesters

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:53:26 GMT

Two California dairies win state grants to build innovative, energy-producing biogas projects.

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has granted two San Joaquin Valley dairies $4 million each for innovative biogas projects that will generate electricity, reduce methane emissions and, in the case of one, help launch the state’s first “hub-and-spoke” dairy digester cluster.

Lakeview Farms Dairy of Bakersfield, Calif., and West Star North Dairy of Buttonwillow, Calif., were the only two dairies among the six renewable energy research projects awarded in March by the CEC, the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency. The six awards, totaling nearly $14 million, followed a competitive application process.

The dairy projects are slated to start this month and reach completion by March 2019. The electricity from both dairy’s digesters will head to PG&E, California’s largest energy utility.

Developer California Bioenergy--working through its American Biogas subsidiaries--will finance, design, build, own and operate both projects in partnership with the two dairies. The specially formed entities will match the grant-funding for each project.

“These projects aim to generate and sell renewable electricity to either PG&E through long-term energy contracts or to the dairy via Net Energy Metering programs, helping to achieve the state’s renewable energy goals and making dairy digester, renewable energy projects more affordable,” says Gina Barkalow, CEC grant manager for the projects.

(Farm Journal)

As part of the state’s first “hub-and-spoke” dairy digester cluster, the Lakeview Farms project will install a 1 megawatt generator and prepare a platform to accept future biogas from neighboring dairies.

The two biogas ventures are designed for maximum capture and destruction of methane, helping to achieve the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals, CEC says. California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard has set a target of 33% renewables by 2020. A new bill would increase the renewable procurement target to 50% renewables by 2030.

Both biogas projects will help investor-owned utilities “address the challenges posed by the intermittency of other renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar,” says Cal Bioenergy’s Neil Black.

Lakeview and West Star North are flush-dairy operations that produce large volumes of manure water.

Using a covered-lagoon digester to process manure into biogas, the 7,000-cow Lakeview Farms will generate renewable electricity for export to PG&E’s electricity distribution grid. Located within an eight-mile radius of 11 other dairies south of Bakersfield, the Lakeview project will help launch the state’s first “hub-and-spoke” dairy digester cluster.

“The project will install a 1 megawatt generator and, at the same time, put in place a platform to accept future capacity, utilizing biogas from neighboring dairies,” Black says.

The hub-and-spoke approach for this cluster was initially examined in a USDA study on the economic feasibility of dairy digesters in California. “The idea is to allow the dairies to benefit from the aggregation of capital investment and reduce operation and management costs by centrally locating the generators and associated electrical equipment,” says Black.

West Star North Dairy, 35 miles north of Lakeview Farms, is home to more than 7,000 milking cows, replacement heifers and dry cows. Like Lakeview, West Star North’s biogas project will include a covered-lagoon digester and a 1-megawatt generation system.

One of two unique aspects of the West Star North project is its planned double-cell digester system. Two covered lagoons--one fixed, the other variable volume--will lie yards apart from each other. Manure water will flow sequentially from the first into the second lagoon. This system will enable wastewater quantity to vary by time of year as well as allow for the potential of co-digestion to increase biogas output. Only one other California dairy digester project, at the Bidart Old River Road Dairy near Bakersfield, has a double-cell, covered-lagoon digester system. Located near Lakeview Farms dairy, that project also was developed by CalBioenergy.

“The West Star North project will improve dairy operations and reduce dairy costs by advancing lagoon digester design,” Black says. “It will use the same design innovations to potentially retire the existing storage lagoon, an approach developed with 4Creeks, a dairy-focused engineering firm.”

(Farm Journal)

Manure from both dairies’ cows will supply the digesters, which ultimately will generate electricity for PG&E.

A second innovative feature will prime West Star North for a future where energy storage on the farm is possible. Over the next year, the project will prepare its generator platform to add a second megawatt. That will allow West Star North to become one of the first dairies to participate in the state’s AB 2514 energy storage program. That 2010 landmark legislation was designed to increase the use of energy storage systems.

“We are readying West Star to compete in this program at a future date,” Black says. “If successful, it would provide a new revenue stream. Participation would mean that the utility is able to ‘dispatch’ or control an engine generator, starting electricity generation when they need it.”

With the State of California on board, the two dairy projects have a solid vote of approval. Moreover, the different approaches of each will showcase the viability of biogas efforts, “proving the benefits and setting the standard for future dairy digesters in California,” Black says.

U.S. Dairy Digester Portfolio

The two new biogas ventures near Bakersfield will boost California’s dairy digester numbers to 22, but the nation’s top dairy state still lags behind three other states in biogas projects.

Among the 202 anaerobic digesters commercially operating on U.S. dairies as of January 2015, the following states have the highest number, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s AgSTAR program:

Wisconsin - 37
New York - 32
Pennsylvania - 23
California - 20
Vermont - 16
Ohio - 10
Minnesota - 8
Washington - 8
Indiana - 7
Michigan - 7
Oregon -7
Idaho - 6

More than 80% of all commercial anaerobic digesters in the U.S. are located on dairies. Of those, most are plug-flow digesters, complete-mix systems or covered lagoons.

The U.S. swine industry accounts for the second-highest number of commercial anaerobic digesters, with 39.

Gas to Gas: Dairy Manure Powers California Ethanol Plant

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:51:50 GMT

In a first for the Golden State, a dairy, a digester and an ethanol plant partner to create renewable energy.

California’s first biogas project connecting a dairy to an ethanol plant officially crossed the finish line last week with a public inauguration at its San Joaquin Valley site.

Nearly six years in the making, the $9.5 million renewable energy project relies on manure piped from a dairy a mile away to an anaerobic digester at the Calgren Renewable Fuels ethanol production facility in Pixley, Calif.

Calgren’s digester captures manure-generated methane gas and burns it as clean biogas to power the ethanol plant. In turn, the plant yields nearly 60 million gallons of ethanol a year that, blended with gasoline, creates a low-carbon fuel for many of California’s 27 million cars.

Officials said the Pixley biogas project is the first California digester to use agricultural waste to create renewable natural gas to power another renewable energy facility. It’s also the first digester in the Golden State to be 100% American made and constructed. The plant now becomes California’s lowest-carbon commercial ethanol producer.

“This project is a model for biorefineries in California and throughout the U.S.,” Jim Mckinney, program manager for the California Energy Commission , said at the digester’s Feb. 10 grand opening. The state agency contributed $4.6 million in grant funds to the project.

The project produces several benefits, officials said.

(Farm Journal)

The dried manure solids that are discharged at the back end of the digester cycle are trucked back to Four-J Dairy every day to be used as bedding for the herd.

“We turn waste into fuel,” said Calgren Renewable Fuels president Lyle Schyler, adding that ethanol comprises 10% of fuel at California’s gasoline pumps. Moreover, the project’s carbon output “is quite low,” because of the digester and other emission-controlling equipment at the plant. “This project is exceptionally green,” Schlyer said.

“Electricity and hydrogen are getting a lot of media attention these days as the fuels of the future,” said Mckinney. “But it is the workhorse plants like this Calgren facility that reduce the carbon content of our fuel supply. At 58 million gallons per year, that’s enough low-carbon fuel for 145,000 cars every year.”

The new biogas system will reduce the amount of natural gas used to fire Calgren’s boilers by 6% and reduce the carbon footprint of the plant’s fuel product by 67 grams of carbon per megajoule, added Mckinney. “That’s one third less carbon than gasoline and one third less carbon than most of the corn ethanol from the Midwest that we import,” he said.

The project’s benefits don’t stop with Calgren and the California environment. Frank Junio and his family also have profited from the project. It’s their Four-J Dairy that’s supplying the manure to Calgren’s plant .

For their role in providing the manure, the Junios got a new manure management infrastructure for their 1,800-cow dairy operation. That includes a double-lined lagoon.

(Farm Journal)

Frank Junio’s dairy supplies the manure to the ethanol plant, seen in the distance.

The dairy also gets the dried manure solids that are discharged at the back end of the digester cycle. Those manure solids are trucked daily from the Calgren plant to Four-J Dairy, where they’re used as bedding for the Junios’ dairy herd. The digester’s remaining effluent is piped back to the dairy each day to be applied to field crops.

The Pixley biogas digester is a two-stage, plug-flow complete mix system. It has a 1-million gallon capacity, said Steve Dvorak, whose Wisconsin-based DVO company engineered the digester. (Calgren’s Daryl Maas conceived and guided the project; Regenis built the digester.) While 90% of the waste going into the digester comes from the dairy, the digester has received permitting to use all feed stocks, including municipal waste and food processing waste.

Located 12 miles south of Tulare and adjacent to Freeway 99, the Calgren facility was built in 2008. It’s one of only four commercial ethanol production plants in California. Corn feed stock for Calgren’s plant arrives by train from the Midwest at the neighboring JD Heiskell facility . It’s then transferred via elevators and conveyors to Calgren’s plant for processing. In addition to ethanol, the Calgren plant produces wet distillers grains and corn oil.

Leap of Faith: California Dairy Helps Lead the Way in State's Renewable Energy Efforts

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:52:10 GMT

Video shows how New Hope Dairy’s anaerobic digester turns 30,000 gallons of manure a day into electricity for the power grid.

In a video released today, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) takes a closer look at the anaerobic digester at New Hope Dairy in Galt, Calif. The 1,500-cow dairy is a pioneer in the state’s renewable energy efforts.

The dairy’s owners, Arlin Van Groningen and Arlan Van Leeuwen, explain how 30,000 gallons of manure are collected six times a day from their herd and pumped to the onsite digester. There, methane gas is produced, ultimately becoming electricity for the energy grid.

The project is not only helping fulfill “green” energy requirements but also managing manure for the dairy as well as creating composted soil amendments from the post-digester manure.

Officials from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, project developers and government officials also weigh in on the dairy’s progressive and successful venture.

“The future for dairy digesters in the state of California is. . . unlimited,” says CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “People like New Hope Dairy have done a fabulous job. They’re our pioneers. They’re the ones willing to take this leap of faith to be a part of the new energy economy and helping combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gases.”

See the 4-minute video here .

U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award Winners Announced

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:31:52 GMT

Source: Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

In a March 7 award ceremony in Washington, D.C., the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced the winners of the inaugural U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, a program to recognize dairy farms, dairy companies and collaborative partnerships for efforts that advance the sustainability of the dairy industry.

“Across the supply chain, the dairy industry continues to demonstrate leadership in meeting consumer demand for great-tasting, wholesome and nutritious dairy products, while finding new ways to preserve our planet’s precious resources,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, which was founded by dairy producers.

In its first year, the program has gained widespread support from key organizations, including Elanco, U.S. Dairy Export Council, the Center for Advanced Energy Studies/Idaho National Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, World Wildlife Fund, MilkPEP and the Dairy Research Institute.

Winners of the Elanco Award for Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability:

Blue Spruce Farm, operated by the Audet family in Bridport, Vt., is admired as a pioneer in operational efficiency. It was one of the first farms in the country to install variable speed a vacuum pump control, reducing energy used during milking by nearly 60%. Blue Spruce also was the first dairy farm to participate in the successful Central Vermont Public Service’s Cow Power program, which allows consumers to purchase renewable energy generated on a dairy farm. By implementing new technologies in lighting, milking, milk cooling, barn construction, ventilation and water heating, the farm reduced energy use from an average of 1,000 kWh per cow per year, to an average of 500 kWh per cow per year. These savings, in turn, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 500 pounds of CO2e per cow per year.

For Holsum Dairies, LLC, of Hilbert, Wis., sustainability of the community and the natural environment were significant factors when they designed the dairy and planned the operations. Holsum relies on a model of trust and mutual benefit in working with nearly 40 local crop farmers and custom harvesters to provide all of the dairy’s forage needs. In this win-win relationship, benefits to the farm, the community and the environment include higher quality feed; 11,000 acres under a single nutrient management plan; lower cost and emissions associated with manufacturing and transport of fertilizer; more efficient crop production; and more precise fertilizer application.

A decade ago, Werkhoven Dairy, Inc., of Monroe, Wash., assumed a leadership role in developing a collaborative partnership between their farm and the neighboring dairy and beef producers of the Sno/Sky Ag Alliance; the Northwest Chinook Recovery (an organization working to restore salmon habitat); and the 3,500-member Native American Tulalip Tribe. These entities formed a nonprofit organization that operates an anaerobic digester system, creating enough energy each day to produce electricity for 300 homes while keeping the air and water clean and protecting salmon streams. The system also produces enough Grade A compost for Werkhoven Dairy to naturally fertilize their fields and share with their neighbors.

Winner of the U.S. Dairy Export Council Award for Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability:

Through a companywide commitment to sustainability, Darigold, Inc., in Seattle has empowered its employees to work together to reduce use of water, fuel and energy, as well as waste. Darigold has reduced its water usage by more than 15%, equal to more than 130 million gallons. It recycles 50% of its waste, and has seen nearly a 50% improvement in fuel usage per unit, equal to more than 216,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually. They have completed more than 20 sustainability-driven packaging redesigns, reducing cost by more than $1 million and greatly reducing corrugated and plastic usage.

Honorable mention of the U.S. Dairy Export Council Award for Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability:

Oakhurst Dairy of Portland, Maine, was one of the first companies in Maine to sign on to the governor’s Carbon Challenge and has developed a sustainability roadmap with long-term reduction goals across all aspects of the operation. Over a two-year period (2008-10), Oakhurst reduced its plant energy, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and transportation fuel use by roughly 10% each — achieving half of its overall goal. This family-owned dairy processor has truly been a leader, from the installation of a solar energy system to the use of hybrid delivery trucks and biodiesel fuel.

Winners of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies/Idaho National Laboratory Award for Outstanding Achievement in Energy are:

Brubaker Farms of Mount Joy, Pa., has mastered energy efficiency by creating a successful new revenue stream through the implementation of an anaerobic digester system. The farm now produces its own electricity, and the surplus electricity — enough to power approximately 200 homes — is sold to the local utility. The Brubaker family is committed to sharing its lessons learned by hosting busloads of visitors to tour the property, which includes three solar panels totaling 10,000 square feet producing an additional 130 to 150 kWh on sunny days.

In a collaboration that formed DF-AP, LLC, of Gooding, Idaho, Dean Foods Company and AgPower Partners embraced the essence of innovation when they teamed up to create the first major third party owned and operated dairy digester project in the nation. From the very first year in operation, the project has been financially self-sustaining and has paid a return to its investors, while lowering operational costs for the dairy, improving manure management and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The methane-fueled renewable energy system produces enough energy to provide the power needs of approximately 900 homes and produces 34,000 cubic yards of ammonia-free fiber that is sold at retail as a landscape fertilizer.
An independent panel of judges representing the full spectrum of the dairy supply chain — as well as academia, government, media, business and nongovernmental organizations — selected this year’s winners based on the program’s or project’s results as measured by economic, environmental and social responsibility aspects.

“In reviewing more than 40 nominations and selecting the ‘best of the best,’ the Sustainability Award judges were impressed by the model programs and processes that deliver real benefit to the business, community and the environment,” said Molly Jahn, who serves as special adviser for Sustainability Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and as the U.S. Commissioner on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change. “Clearly, sustainability is core to the success of these farms and organizations. They serve as leaders in their communities and industry.”

The awards are part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, an industry-wide effort to measure and improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the dairy industry. Launched in 2008, the Sustainability Commitment is supported by hundreds of organizations, including universities, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations.

The Innovation Center represents the entire dairy value chain — dairy producers, processors, manufacturers, transporters, retailers and brands.

“We are developing unique and traditional partnerships that work toward the common goals of protecting our environment, growing our communities and strengthening our businesses,” O’Brien said. “The Sustainability Award winners are a testament to efforts underway across the country, and we commend them for their outstanding work and dedication to sustainability.”

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is a forum for the dairy industry to work together pre-competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster innovation and increase sales. The Innovation Center aligns the collective resources of the industry against common priorities to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the industry. The Board of Directors for the Innovation Center includes dairy industry leaders representing key producer organizations, dairy cooperatives, processors, manufacturers and brands. The Innovation Center is staffed by Dairy Management Inc™ staffs the Innovation Center. Visit USDairy.com for more information about the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

New Roadmap Will Help Stimulate the Emerging Biogas Market

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:47:25 GMT

White House plan highlights opportunities expected to foster innovation, revenue for dairy farms.

Source: National Milk Producers Federation/Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

The White House on Friday released a Biogas Opportunities Roadmap highlighting the economic and environmental benefits and potential for biogas systems in the U.S.

According to the Roadmap, biogas systems offer a wide range of potential revenue streams, growing jobs and boosting economic development for communities, businesses and dairy farms. The systems work by recycling organic material — including cow manure and food waste — into valuable co-products such as renewable energy, fertilizer, separated nutrients and cow bedding.

To develop the Roadmap, The White House worked with the dairy industry through the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, which was established under the leadership of dairy farmers, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Innovation Center brings together leaders of dairy farmer organizations, including NMPF, along with cooperatives, processors, manufacturers, and brands, to foster innovation and help dairy farmers and importers sell more milk and dairy products. Biogas initiatives completed by the Innovation Center helped inform the Roadmap, including 2013 research that identifies a $2.9 billion market potential for anaerobic digester systems that co-digest dairy cow manure and food waste.

“The Biogas Roadmap will help stimulate the emerging biogas market in ways that could provide revenue-generating opportunities for dairy farms of all sizes,” said Jim Mulhern, president and chief executive officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, which develops and carries out policies that advance the well-being of dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own.

The Roadmap strategies are entirely voluntary, not regulatory. “This validates the proactive and voluntary path the industry is already taking to reduce methane emissions, and provides direction for future actions and opportunities,” said Mulhern. NMPF sits on the Board of Directors for the Innovation Center.

The USDA, DOE and EPA will take these steps to promote the development of biogas systems:

• Fostering investment in biogas systems: To help overcome barriers to the widespread investment in biogas systems, USDA will lead efforts to better understand and track the performance of anaerobic digesters, seek opportunities to broaden financing options, and review Federal procurement guidelines.

• Strengthening markets for biogas systems and system products: The Roadmap identifies activities that could strengthen the market for biogas systems and system products including energy and other value-added products. For example, dairy farms of all sizes could enhance their revenues through nitrogen and phosphorus recovery.

• Improving communication and coordination: USDA will establish a Biogas Opportunities Roadmap Working Group, including the dairy industry, to implement the strategies in the Roadmap, with a goal to identify and prioritize policies and technology opportunities by August 2015.

• Promoting biogas use through existing agency programs: Leveraging existing programs will provide a way to enhance the use of biogas systems in the U.S. by ensuring existing criteria for technical and financial assistance considers the benefits of biogas system, leveraging research funding, and strengthening programs that support the use of biogas for clean energy, transportation fuel, and other biobased products.

“On dairy farms, digesters can increasingly be part of the solution to manure management challenges and enhance our ability to sustain our farms for the next generation,” said Jim Werkhoven, a dairy farmer in Monroe, Wash., and Chairman of Darigold, Inc.

Biogas systems could help the dairy industry, which contributes approximately 2% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, to further reduce its carbon footprint. In 2009, the dairy industry established a voluntary goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 25% by 2020. The Dairy Power project is one of a portfolio of projects to help achieve that goal; it focuses on harnessing the value of manure and realizing the potential of biogas systems for U.S. dairy farmers.

“Dairy farmers are taking many steps to provide nourishing dairy foods and beverages that are responsibly produced,” said Tom Gallagher, chief executive officer of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “Biogas systems are one example of many technologies available to the industry today that help us continuously improve our stewardship and contribute to our communities.”

Visit USDairy.com/DairyPower for information and case studies about biogas projects on dairy farms, and watch this video to see how a coalition of urban and rural partners -- including the Cleveland Browns – used a biogas system to recycle cow manure and food waste.

Vermont’s Dairy Digester Efforts Featured in “Cow Power” Documentary

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:43:16 GMT

Documentary shows how sustainable energy program is saving Vermont’s farms and environment.

In an effort to save family farms and their environment, Vermont citizens have begun a sustainable energy program. Watch “Cow Power: The Film” to see how Vermont dairies are turning manure into energy and by-products. Vermont now has more digesters per capita than any other state.

View the video trailer here .

Watch the hour-long documentary at Google Play , YouTube , iTunes , VUDU , or Amazon Instant .

California Energy Conference Promotes Renewable Energy for Farmers and Ag Processors

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:49:39 GMT

Free registration is available for the Nov. 12 conference in Fresno.

Source: The Dolphin Group

The Agricultural Energy Consumers Association (AECA) and the Western Agricultural Processors Association are jointly sponsoring a free, one-day Agricultural Renewable Energy Conference and Expo on Wednesday, Nov. 12 in Fresno, Calif.

The conference and exposition is designed to showcase the latest renewable energy opportunities including solar and bioenergy projects. The conference is FREE to farmers, ranchers and ag processors on a first-come, first-served basis.

What: Ag Renewable Energy Conference and Expo

When: Wednesday November 12, 2014 -- 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Where: Fresno Hotel and Conference Center (Former Radisson Hotel), 2233 Ventura St., Fresno, Calif. 93721

The conference is co-hosted by more than 18 agricultural trade groups and the California Solar Energy Industries Association. More than a dozen renewable energy companies will be on hand to meet with growers and processors and share the latest information about solar and bioenergy opportunities.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (Edison) will also be on hand to answer questions about energy efficiency and demand management programs as well as the latest rates and tariffs for farm and food agricultural processing customers.

Due to the overwhelming response by renewable energy companies and utilities, the conference is free farmers, ranchers, producers and processors. Coldwell Solar, Cal Com Solar, Cenergy Power, PG&E and Edison are major sponsors and free registration includes continental breakfast and lunch.

“The time is right for farmers to be considering renewable energy, especially solar,” said Roger Isom, president of the Western Agricultural Processors Association. “The conference will provide a great opportunity for farmers and processors to hear about renewable energy options, hear from other farmers who have already installed projects, and hear about the latest energy efficiency and renewable energy program incentives. It’s a fantastic opportunity, and it’s free!”

To register, visit www.agprocessors.org or contact AECA at 916-447-6206 or email contact@aecaonline.com .

Banking on Biogas

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:49:42 GMT

Without a dollar into it, a California dairy generates income from an anaerobic digester

For years, Arlin Van Groningen resisted the urging of his local utility district to install an anaerobic digester on his dairy near Galt, Calif.

Van Groningen had relocated his herd 185 miles north from Visalia in 2006 and had his hands full with re-establishing his dairy. The Galt site, 25 miles south of Sacramento, already had what Van Groningen considered an efficient, centralized manure management system. He wanted to concentrate on cows, not technology. Moreover, he had heard enough negative stories about dairy digesters to dampen any enthusiasm he might have for a methane-capturing system.

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But today, Van Groningen and his dairy partner, Arlan Van Leeuwen, have a 1-million-gallon, above-ground digester tank in operation at their 1,550-cow dairy—and they’re happy with it. Eighteen months after the digester went online, it’s performing smoothly, generating electricity for the grid and providing their New Hope Dairy with a steady monthly income.

“I give the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) a lot of credit for making this happen,” Van Groningen says. “If this dairy had been located 1.5 miles to the south, this project would not have happened.”

That’s because that short leap across the county line lands in Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) territory, not SMUD’s. PG&E, California’s largest utility, has not favored biogas in its quest to fulfill “green” energy requirements. Biogas, however, has been important for SMUD, the nation’s sixth-largest community-owned electric service provider.

“SMUD opened the doors for finding outside entities to fund, build and operate the digester,” he adds.

SMUD introduced Van Groningen and Van Leeuwen to several companies that could take control of a biogas digester project. Ultimately, the dairy partnered with MT Energie and California Bioenergy. The two companies designed, built and operate the digester. They lease the site from New Hope Dairy and assume all project liability. Under the agreement, the dairy supplies the manure, which provides a constant income.

“We don’t have a dollar into the project,” Van Groningen says. “We sell them the manure, they harvest the biogas.”

The project cost $4 million and took three years, including seven months for construction. SMUD received $5.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission to help fund digester construction at New Hope and other nearby dairies. Four dairy digesters now operate in SMUD’s territory, or about one-third of California’s total. Biomass accounts for about 50% of SMUD’s renewable energy portfolio.

(Farm Journal)

The round tank digester uses 30,000 gal. of manure slurry each day. The biogas travels from the generator to the electricity grid. The silver tower cleans biogas and emissions from the generator.

Van Groningen and Van Leeuwen decided on the massive tank digester rather than a covered lagoon. “A covered lagoon is not as efficient for a digester because it’s too susceptible to the outside
environment,” Van Groningen says.

The insulated concrete-and-steel tank remains at 105°F all year long. It takes in an average of 30,000 gal. of manure slurry each day. Retention time in the tank is about 40 days.

The dairy uses a scraper system to collect manure six times a day from its freestall alleys. The scraped manure is dumped into a trough at the end of each alley and delivered into the digester tank. The manure scraper replaces a flush system, which significantly reduces greenhouse gases and odor. MT Energie and California Bioenergy own and maintain the manure scraper.

From the tank, the biogas makes its way to a generator and then on to the SMUD grid. The digester can generate 450 kW of electricity. That’s enough to power about 250 single-family homes, although New Hope Dairy doesn’t get any of that power. The digester’s consistent biogas energy helps ease the peak loads SMUD encounters from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

While the manure solids are currently sold locally or used on their own fields, Phase 2 of the digester project will involve separating its effluent byproduct to create an organic certified fertilizer that farmers can apply to food crops without any restrictions, Van Groningen says. The dairy also is participating in a study to compare the liquid effluent value to synthetic fertilizers.

In the meantime, development of dairy digesters in California will likely remain slow. To make economic sense, these projects need lower costs for capital, operations and maintenance, says Marco Lemes, a project manager for SMUD’s Energy Research and Development department.

“If California wants to see more dairy digesters, there will have to be increased financial assistance, whether from grants, subsidized loans or tax credits,” Lemes says.

(Farm Journal)

This simple diagram shows how New Hope Dairy converts its manure into biogas.

Agriculture Energy Conference Set for Nov. 12 in Fresno, Calif.

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:00:41 GMT

The day-long event, which includes a dairy panel, will explore trends in energy rates, renewable energy and energy efficiency opportunities.

Source: Western Agricultural Processors Association

The Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) and the Agriculture Energy Consumers Association will present the 2014 Agriculture Energy Conference on Nov. 12, 2014 at the Fresno Hotel and Conference Center (formally The Radisson Hotel) at 2233 Ventura St. in Fresno, Calif.

The conference will bring together hundreds of leading California growers, agriculture processors, and dairy producers together with utilities, renewable energy developers and vendors to explore trends in energy rates, renewable energy, and energy efficiency opportunities. Conference participants will hear firsthand experiences from similar agricultural growers or agricultural processing operations, as well as industry experts about the successful renewable energy projects they have embarked on.

The one-day conference will include two panels--one for dairy--that will discuss solar and bioenergy opportunities, programs and trends. Attendees will also have the chance to visit and ask questions with local vendors about renewable energy potential at their operations.

For more information, contact WAPA at 559-455-9272 or visit our website for registration and more information at www.agprocessors.org/events .

Dairies Take the Spotlight in National Geographic Series

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:49:16 GMT

The contributions of U.S. dairy farmers to reducing food waste and generating renewable energy are featured in National Geographic’s special “Food of the Future” series.

In “Harvesting the Potential of a Nation’s Leftover Food, ” Erin Fitzgerald describes how dairies are using anaerobic digesters to reduce the nation’s massive food waste and produce “green” power.

“There are other ways we can get the most from the food we produce and help nourish the growing population here and around the world,” writes Fitzgerald, a senior vice president at Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “Instead of throwing it away, we can find creative ways to use leftovers, share what is left with those in need, and any waste beyond that should go back to the land base where nutrients can help replenish soil fertility to grow more food.”

Featured in the article is the Jordan Dairy Farm of Rutland, Mass., the first dairy farm in the state to use anaerobic digester technology. Brothers Randy and Brian Jordan receive byproducts and organic food waste from local sources, including HP Hood & Sons, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Kayem Foods, and Cains Foods. The farm puts 25% cow manure and 75% organic food waste into its anaerobic digester, generating enough electricity every day to power 134 homes.

Future of Food is a special long-term project through which National Geographic is exploring the topic of feeding a booming population and covering the complex issues surrounding food around the world.