Michigan Alternative & Renewable Energy Center
Dairy Biogas Plant
MAREC’s biomass initiative started shortly after its inception with research conducted to evaluate a variety of anaerobic biodigesters. These technologies utilize natural microbial activities to digest biomass waste and produce biogas: methane and carbon dioxide. The biogas can then be used in renewable power generating systems to produce electricity. Entec Biogas GMBH of Austria showed the most promise of an advanced and proven biodigester technology that can process a variety of single or mixed streams of biomass waste. This biomass plant also produces reduced pathogen fertilizer byproducts. This is an additional critical benefit to the State’s environmental protection due to the removal of sulfur, odor compounds, and methane emissions from naturally decaying biomass materials.
Key Project Contributors included:
ENTEC Biogas, GMBH: Biodigester Plant Technology
Capstone Turbines: turbine/generator supplier
Sidock Group, Inc.: Engineering Management
Reynolds, Inc.:General Contractor
CJD Farm Consulting: Calvin Dyke: Agricultural Consulting
The Michigan Public Service Commission granted one million dollars towards the construction of the biodigester project. The biogas project selected was constructed on the den Dulk Dairy, LLC farm. The plant is now operational and produces up to 200 kW from the approximately 1000 herd dairy cows. The following slides are a brief representation of its construction and operating performance. Slide Show
Page last modified April 8, 2011
