Digester
+ Fuel Cell = New Options for CA Dairy Farmers
NOVATO,
CALIFORNIA (August 09, 2010) - A new anaerobic digester, renewable
power generation and financing combination has been developed for
California dairy, hog and poultry farmers -- to specifically
address their needs of as well as California state environmental
regulators. In short, there is (finally) a digester system that
is both economically attractive and "permitable" in
California.
GHD, Inc. teamed
up with G3 Power Systems to provide a very unique solution for
California's farmers: Digester-powered fuel cells -- along
with flexible financing packages. Now a California
farmer can not only meet existing and future regulatory
requirements, but also turn their waste into additional revenue
while doing so.
Digesters have been dramatically
rising in popularity across the country in direct response to ever-tightening
regulatory requirements and restrictions for on-farm waste. AD
systems control farm odor, capture and process greenhouse gasses,
kill pathogens in manure such as salmonella and e-coli, and
provide a quality animal bedding as well as fertilizer
products. They also produce electricity, which becomes a cost
offset and supplementary income stream for the farmer that is
not subject to ag-market price fluctuations.
But in
California, however, the emissions from electrical production
itself (typically combustion products from biogas "gensets")
had long been a barrier to digester expansion in the state.
The rapid commercial development of fuel cells technologies,
however, changes everything. Fuel cells are classified an
"Ultra-Low Emission" system. Their emissions are so low,
in fact, that fuel cells are permitted to operate in downtown
Los Angeles.
Ray Brewer of
G3 Power Systems notes, "Our proprietary process does not
'burn' the biogas like some other processes. Instead it is
converted through an electrolytic process into clean electrical
power. Our systems
exceed all foreseeable future California Air Resources Board
requirements." Fuel cells have a proven track record and
are employed world-wide.
It doesn't
help to have a workable solution if nobody can afford it. With the
current economic slump it is difficult for many farmers to
even contemplate making capital expenditures. Fortunately
they do not have to. Third party financing and ownership is
available, and a farmer can decide whether to own their entire
project, none of it, or a percentage.
For
California farmers there is also a program that defers
any capital expenditure altogether, but still retains an option
to own. This way a farmer can begin to reap
the benefits of the digester today, and after 5-7 years they
can optionally decide to purchase the entire system, with a
warranty and performance guarantee, for a fraction of the original
installation cost.
Waste
management systems like this are becoming the norm for farmers in
the USA. The advantage to California farmers is even clearer. It
is expected that in the near future California farms will not even
be able to continue to operate without a proven,
regulatory-approved way to mitigage the environmental impacts
of their operations. Often farmers do not get much notive, and are
not left with many options. This is one dedicated path
for farmers who are anticipating these changes to begin profiting
from them now.
GHD, Inc.(www.ghdinc.net) is
the largest on-farm digester company in the nation. They have been
a leader in environmental engineering for 17 years, providing
reliable, proven solutions for farmers.
G3 Power
Systems (www.g3powersystems.com) offers
the cleanest and most efficient form of green power generation
available. hydrogen fuel cells -- as well as flexible
financing for combined heat & power applications.