This dairy milks about 900 Holstein dairy cows. The onsite digester was first commissioned in October of 2009. Originally, the anaerobic digester captured biogas to power a 300 kW genset. The electricity produced was used directly on the farm and excess sold to the local utility.
This digester system prevents methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from being released into the atmosphere, thereby reducing the net greenhouse gas emissions from manure processed by the dairy.
In 2019, MCR was contracted to refurbish the biogas system. This included upgrading the digester with new technology capable of cleaning the methane gas and converting it into high quality Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for use in heating or transportation.
A total of five farms contribute RNG to the system cluster. The gas processed at each farm is transported to a central location where it is injected into the interstate gas pipeline.
Collectively, the five farms generate about 305,000 million British thermal units (MMBtu) of RNG each year.
RNG production: 86 MMBtus/day
MCR Work Order Approval: April 2019
MCR Start Up and Commissioning: December 2019
Original anaerobic digester: 2009
Digester system type:
Mixed Plug Flow
Feedstocks:
Dairy manure
Engine-generator set: 300 kW Guascor CHP unit
