The partnership with dairy companies will result in a project which will convert dairy manure from nearly 12,000 animals into renewable natural gas
Image: Brightmark to build RNG project in South Dakota. (Credit: Brightmark Energy, LLC.)
Brightmark Energy, a San Francisco-based energy development company, has announced its plans to build a dairy renewable natural gas (RNG) project in South Dakota, US.
Brightmark Energy had also signed a manure supply agreement with two dairy companies Boadwine Farms and Mooody County Dairy Limited Partnership to trap methane produced from nearly 12,000 dairy cows and heifers and convert it into renewable natural gas.
Upon completion, the new Athena RNG project is expected to produce nearly 217,000MMBtu of RNG annually, which is enough to fuel over 2,400 vehicles for a year.
The RNG project will include the construction of new anaerobic digesters across three Minnehaha County farms – Boadwine Farms, Pioneer Dairy and Moody Dairy. When completed, Brightmark will own and operate the facility.
A total of 11,710 dairy cows and heifers live on the three farms, producing nearly 55.6 million gallons of manure each year. Methane generated from the manure will be captured, cleaned, and converted into RNG.
The RNG thus produced could be used for transportation, cooking or to generate electricity. The gas will be injected into the local interstate pipeline system and will be used across the state.
Brightmark Energy CEO Bob Powell said: “Brightmark is pleased to launch our first project in South Dakota. Our team specialises in deploying energy technologies that turn waste into productive, sustainable energy solutions, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to bring anaerobic digestion to the state.”
The project can help avoid 64,000 tons of methane emissions
The Athena project is expected to prevent more than 64,000 tons of methane emissions from entering the atmosphere annually.
Boadwine Dairy owner Lynn Boadwine said: “As dairy farmers, we can be part of the solution in helping the environment. The digester projects are a win-win because we have the ability to further process the manure, while reducing greenhouse gasses.
“Agriculture continually evolves. Our improvements in sustainability in the last generation are just short of incredible. Unfortunately, we don’t often tell our story. We are looking forward to partnering with Brightmark to bring these next-generation projects to South Dakota.”
In January this year, the company partnered with four dairy farms in Florida to build and operate three anaerobic digesters that will convert a total of 230,000 tons of dairy manure annually.