Poop to Power – $30-40M Anaerobic Digestion RNG Deal between Bioenergy DevCo and Cheseapeake Utilities

June 08, 2020

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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Big project news came in that Chesapeake Utilities Corporation entered into an agreement with Bioenergy DevCo to purchase biogas generated from organic materials at BDC’s facilities in Delaware which will be processed into renewable natural gas. The program uses excess poultry organics to create sustainable, carbon-negative energy source to augment utility portfolios and the total project value is estimated to be in the $30-$40 million range over the term of the project, with Bioenergy DevCo committing to delivering up to 300,000 MMBtus of renewable natural gas annually.

The Digest covered lots of poop to power projects in December 2019, like Vanguard Renewables partnering up with Dominion Energy, Vanguard’s slide guide on poop-powered RNG, and University of Calgary’s latest discoveries with poop to plastics and biofuels. But this one is different. For one, we are now talking chicken shit instead of cow crap. One thing remains the same – poop is power and being able to actually use a waste product that would otherwise go to a landfill or incinerated and cause pollution either way is amazing progress for a more sustainable future.

In today’s Digest, project details, the anaerobic digestion tech behind it, 3 other projects in the works, startling statistics, how this deal will help create a more sustainable energy and waste system for Delaware and the surrounding regions, and more.

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This natural gas offtake agreement follows the announcement made late last year that BDC would be working with Perdue Farms to process excess organic material from Delmarva chicken facilities. BDC is currently developing their state-of-the-art Bioenergy Innovation Center which will generate carbon-negative natural gas using materials from Perdue and other food processors.

The intent is for BDC and Chesapeake Utilities Corporation affiliates Eastern Shore Natural Gas, Chesapeake Utilities and Marlin Gas Services, to collaborate on this project in addition to several other project sites where organic waste can be converted into a carbon-negative energy source. Beyond the environmental and energy benefits, this project will also support the economy in the Delmarva region.

The resources generated from organic material at BDC’s anaerobic digestion facilities in Delaware, known as the Bioenergy Innovation Center, will be processed by Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, and Eastern Shore Natural Gas and Marlin Gas Services will facilitate the transport and receipt of RNG for multiple suppliers through its interconnect facility and equipment. Marlin Gas Services will transport the sustainable fuel to Eastern Shore Natural Gas, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation’s interstate pipeline, where it will be introduced to CPK’s own distribution system and ultimately distributed to its natural gas customers.

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BDC’s facilities utilize a modular design with rigid tanks where feedstocks are processed into renewable natural gas. BDC’s AD process uses a combination of technology, microbiology and engineering expertise to manage the digestion process and ensure the highest quality gas production. This includes state of the art technology that helps manage the rate at which feedstocks are added into the digesters. This process and associated technology allows them to manage a broad variety of co-digested materials managing such challenges as high-fat content or mixed inputs.

This as well allows BDC to adjust the strength, direction and location of mechanical mixing arms to ensure digestible materials are exposed to bacteria and manage the natural microbial content and formulations within the digester as well as the supply of micronutrients supplied by the company to promote bacteria growth.

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3 Other Facilities in the Works

BDC is working on several facilities, some of which have been publicly announced and others that they will be speaking about more publicly soon. The three announced facilities include:

The Bioenergy Innovation Center, formerly the Perdue AgriRecycle Facility in Seaford, Delaware. This is the result of a 20 year agreement between BDC and Perdue Farms and will process byproducts from local poultry operations in the Delmarva Peninsula.

The Maryland Food Center Authority: An anaerobic digester to be co-located with the Maryland Food Center, servicing one of the largest food terminals on the East Coast. This facility in Howard County will process 100,000 tons of food waste per year, significantly reducing excess organics now being sent to incineration or already overcrowded landfills. This facility is estimated to produce 275,000 + MMBTU’s of truly renewable natural gas for a combination of pipeline injection or in vehicle fuels as compressed natural gas.

An anaerobic digester in Cecil County, Maryland to be located at the Principio Business Park. We estimate a project size of between 70- 100 K tons per year of food and agricultural waste initially supplying compressed natural gas to the 100’s of fleet vehicles on the campus, but are also in early discussions with several utility and energy companies for direct injection into the pipeline

BDC’s Bioenergy Innovation Center

To clarify what the Bioenergy Innovation Center is, you may remember it as the former Perdue AgriRecycle Facility. This site was originally built by Perdue as an advanced composting facility to serve the Perdue poultry farms located in the Delmarva region. The facility has now been turned over to Bioenergy DevCo and renamed the Bioenergy Innovation Center.

BDC is currently constructing working through the permitting process for the finance, build and operations of anaerobic digester on the site to anaerobically digest byproducts from these same Perdue farms, but will also continue to support the composting work as well removing micronutrients from the Chesapeake Bay. It is also BDC’s working test lab for introducing innovative approaches to anaerobic digestion at utility scale in the United States.

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Startling Stats

BDC’s Ettinger shared some impressive numbers with The Digest when talking about RNG. Take for example that each year, the US generates more than 70 million tons of food waste – add in the manure from 8 billion cows, chickens, turkeys and pigs and there is a lot of organic material that can be recycled each year.

Maximizing America’s AD potential could supply enough RNG energy to power nearly 80,000 homes for a full year, replace as much as 7 billion gallons of diesel used in transportation and generate up to 70,000 jobs. It could create the environmental benefits equal to taking 15.4 million cars off the road. READ MORE

Bioenergy, Chesapeake Utilities Partner To Supply RNG (NGT News)

Bioenergy DevCo and Chesapeake Utilities Corp partner on poultry waste RNG project (Biofuels International)

35 Groups Urge Governor Carney to Oppose Biogas Infrastructure Development in Delaware (Food & Water Watch)