GE to Showcase Bio-gas Technology for EPA, US Farmers
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 biogas digester. s and GE’s Jenbacher bio-gas 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 bio-gas 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 biogas digester. s to convert livestock waste and other agricultural biomass into methane-rich, renewable bio-gas. As a result, less methane is available to escape into the atmosphere.
“Bio-gas 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 bio-gas to energy systems to help meet their operational and environmental requirements.”
In addition to reducing onsite emissions, agricultural bio-gas projects can help farmers comply with more stringent local water quality standards. By capturing agricultural wastes for bio-gas 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 bio-gas engine technology continues to be deployed at some of the country’s most innovative agricultural bio-gas projects, including the Bio Town Ag project in Indiana and a recently completed, multi-farm biogas digester. project in Dane County, Wis.:
Bio Town Ag community biogas digester. bio-gas project, Indiana:
Featuring three, 1-megawatt (MW) Jenbacher JMS 320 generator sets, Bio Town Ag marks GE’s so far largest U.S. agricultural bio-gas-to-energy project. The project also is the first to combine GE’s Jenbacher gen-set technology with advanced biogas digester. technology supplied by GHD, Inc., the largest U.S. supplier of agricultural anaerobic biogas digester. s.
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 biogas digester. bio-gas-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 biogas digester. bio-gas-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 biogas digester. to fruition,” said Steve Dvorak, president of Chilton, Wis.-based GHD.
“The biogas 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-biogas 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 biogas digester. .
Wisconsin-based bio-gas 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 biogas digester. s. The biomass is converted into methane-rich bio-gas, 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 biogas digester. specifically built to help farmers reduce biomass run-offs into surrounding freshwater bodies. Dane County’s biogas 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 biogas digester. projects have been installed in the United States with the AgSTAR program’s assistance. Opportunities for more agricultural biogas 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.
