GESS International Caps String of Biogas Announcements in NC

(GESS International) GESS’s plans for biogas plants throughout NC -- including a just-announced facility in Robeson Co. -- promise new jobs and energy sources -- This week, the company announced plans for a $35 million biogas plant in Robeson County, which has been hard hit by Hurricane Florence. The plant is expected to eventually employ around three dozen people.

GESS’s business development manager Bill Elias and other members of the management team will be available at BioCycle to discuss the company’s plans and capabilities.

Why biogas and what it means for clean energy solutions
Home to more than 7 million hogs, North Carolina is the second largest pork producing state in the country. Eastern North Carolina, which relies heavily on farming and agriculture, has long been a major producer of hog waste. By building a biogas plant on local farms, GESS creates an eco-friendly energy source that reduces waste odor and soil/water pollution, and whose byproduct, through anaerobic digestion, produces organic fertilizer. The result is clean gas that can be sold to energy companies and converted to electricity. The process helps to create a strong relationship between GESS International and local communities and farmers.

The case for renewable energy in local communities
According to the EPA, there are 6 benefits to biogas: diversified farm revenue, rural economic growth, conservation of agricultural land, energy independence, sustainable food production, and farm-community relationships. Another benefit of hog waste conversion to clean energy is minimizing or potentially eliminating waste contamination when natural disasters impact eastern NC. Having recently filed with the NC Utilities Commision for the construction of plants that will each represent an investment of about $30 million and employ 16-19 people, GESS continues to encourage job growth in many Eastern Carolina counties, build relationships with energy companies looking to purchase the low-cost energy alternative, and invest in local farming towns.

Keeping up with growing demand
GESS is planting themselves firmly as a renewable energy solution in the state; with 14 new employees joining the team this year, they are rapidly growing as evidence in their upcoming appearance at the BioCycle Conference. One of their hires, Bill (William) Kish, a heavyweight in the renewable energy space, is coming on board as GESS’s Biogas Project Development Manager -- a clear sign that GESS is on the right track.

Future of biogas and GESS’s influence on the future of renewable energy
Tanja Vujic, Duke University’s Director of Biogas Strategy stated: “What’s so attractive is this dual dividend idea [Biogas production] [...] you don’t just destroy the methane, but make something valuable in its destruction.” In 2007, North Carolina required utility companies to draw 0.2 percent of their power from swine biogas as part of the state’s push towards a clean energy initiative. As we move closer to the BioCycle Conference, GESS is focused on the future of renewable energy and with support from the American Biogas Council, Biogas, and Capstone Turbine, GESS International is working towards helping the state fulfill the energy initiative.

About GESS International
GESS is a highly experienced and globally established renewable energy service company. With over 350 completed projects worldwide, GESS, Inc. has over 19 years of expertise in providing energy-efficient solutions using co-generation and renewable energy resources such as solar and biogas. From consulting to managing operations of our completed projects, GESS, Inc. offers design and implementation solutions with direct economic impact for its customers and their communities.