Petaluma dairy’s Open House highlights environmentally friendly conversion of manure into electrical power

The environmental and economic benefits of converting dairy cow manure into biogas will be on display Tuesday, Sept. 25 when St. Anthony Farm hosts an open house at its Petaluma organic dairy to display Sonoma County’s first methane digester.

EPA grant will fund research effort to convert diesel powered milk trucks to run on methane gas

Modesto, CA - - Western United Resource Development, Inc. (WURD) has been selected to receive a $400,000 grant from US-EPA Region 10 for an innovative project that will convert biogas into vehicle fuel. WURD will collaborate with Western United Dairymen, Sustainable Conservation, UC Davis, CalStart, Hilarides Dairy, Hilmar Cheese Company, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and SWENTEC to convert four heavy-duty diesel powered milk trucks to run on methane. Project partners will also develop engineering design plans and conduct financial analysis of biomethane upgrading plants in expectation of constructing a biomethane upgrading plant and refueling station at a later date.

Nine more methane digester projects approved

Modesto, CA  - - In a second round of funding, nine more methane digester construction projects have been approved under the California Dairy Power Production Program (DPPP), which is administered by Western United Resource Development. Project locations range from Butte County in Northern California to Imperial County in Southern California, with herd sizes ranging from 300 to 3,200 head. Both free stall and dry lot dairies are represented. It is estimated the projects will have a generating capacity of 1.33 megawatts when completed by March 31, 2008.

Applications available for methane digester program

Modesto, CA - - Applications are now available for funding for the construction of anaerobic digestion systems on California dairies. The California Energy Commission has extended the funds provided through the successful Dairy Power Production Program (DPPP). The program to date has funded ten methane digester projects with an estimated generating capacity of 2.5 megawatts.

Methane program nominated for international renewable energy award competition in China

Modesto, CA - - The California Dairy Power Production Program (DPPP) has been nominated for the United Nation’s BlueSky Award, which recognizes the renewable energy innovations of programs from throughout the world. The DPPP is funded by the California Energy Commission through a grant administered by Western United Resource Development (WURD). The nomination means the innovative renewable energy program that encourages development of methane digesters on California dairy farms will enter into competition with 19 other programs at the China International High-Tech Fair to be held in Shenzhen, China Oct. 12-17.