Capitalizing on renewable energy

With only a few basic pieces of information, namely:

• What is being processed (data such as TS, TSS, pH are helpful too)
• Daily volumes (max)
• Timeframe (when desired)

We can estimate both the capital and operating costs. Melissa VanOrnum, 920-418-4543, will be glad to help you investigate at no obligation.

Contact Melissa VanOrnum, DVO Vice President Marketing, at 920-849-9797 or [email protected]

This will differ greatly from state to state, and region to region.

Yes it is — when it is economically practical to do so. But that is not typical. To take advantage of a higher peak rate one must install 2-3x the power generation equipment (to burn the gas created during off-peak hours in a shortened timeframe) — which engines will also then be cycled on/off and idled daily. Cycling engines is hard on them and as a result their maintenance costs also increase. In short: When the financial return of biogas storage more than covers significant additional capital and operating expenses, DVO can provide this capability.

Yes. You can use it and sell what you do not use to the power company. However, in the majority of cases it has been advantageous to sell all of it to your utility and buy what you need off the grid.

The installation cost is relative to the volume of waste to be processed daily. The particular characteristics of any waste stream can also influence system design and cost as well. Some upfront testing is usually desired.

As digester designs differ, so can their performance. Partly because a DVO digester's unique design offers a "guaranteed retention time," waste streams are more thoroughly processed than with other AD designs. The benefit is both a higher level of Phos removal and more economical operation.

DVO is initially rolling Phosphorus Recovery out to its customers, but may also offer this process to other AD owners at a later date (TBD).

• Don't take our word for it. The U.S. EPA keeps track of U.S. farm digester installations: https://www.epa.gov/agstar/livestock-anaerobic-digester-database  Download this Excel spreadsheet, sort it by the "System Designer" column, and you will see how many DVO has sold in the previous few years (versus competing systems). You will also see repeat DVO customers – a key indicator of customer satisfaction.
• Talk directly to our customers. Any of them. Unlike others we don't provide a "referral sheet." Our customers are our best salespeople, and we encourage you to ask them about their experience with our system. For example, in the dairy industry some of the largest and most respected names (such as Fair Oaks, Bos, and Bettencourt) and operations of all sizes and configurations (scrape, flush, vac, sand etc.), employ our system.
• Compare actual performance figures. It's hard to find complete and accurate performance figures from other companies, especially for manure waste streams that do not contain any substrates (conveniently making valid apple-to-apple comparisons impossible). The EPA commissioned an extensive study at one of our sites, our first built – and the results are available here.

Yes. It’s also why we see better odor reduction and pathogen control.

Yes. There are two ways to expand your digester. One is to lengthen the digester like you might lengthen a barn. The other option is to build a second digester next to the first and have the two share a common wall.

The cost will vary considerably depending on the size and layout of the operation. We can provide a rough estimate after gaining an understanding of certain aspects of your operation. We work hard to keep our system costs down without impacting system performance or reliability. 

Biogas, which can be used to create electricity or in a boiler to create steam. Or it can be scrubbed to create natural gas. Other revenue streams include a solid, a liquid and waste heat.

• Digested solids can be used as a high-quality animal bedding, replacing other bedding sources such as sand or sawdust. Solids can also be sold as a peat-moss replacement or a fertilizer. 
• The digested liquid effluent can be applied to a growing crop, reducing the likelihood of runoff and increasing crop yield.
• Other revenue streams include the possible sale of carbon credits, renewable energy credits, and the Federal Production Tax Credit.
• Waste heat in the form of hot water is a byproduct that digester owners are using to heat various parts of their operation (parlor, maintenance shop, etc.)