On this day before we celebrate our nation’s Independence, Stahlbush Island Farms, Corvallis, Oregon, is pleased to announce Energy Independence through the completion of an on-site BioGas Plant! Through the process of anaerobic digestion, our fruit and vegetable by-product will be converted into biogas at the our facility. On June 2nd, 2009, we produced our first electricity.
A recent innovation in the United States—and most commonly associated with dairy operations—anaerobic digesters have been creating green energy in Europe for decades. The technology for creating biogas from organic matter is well proven. Simply put, organic material, (in this case, fruit and vegetable matter) when placed in anaerobic conditions in large mixed tanks, produces biogas. The methane-rich biogas is used to fuel a combined heat and power (CHP) system (a process also known as “co-generation “). This method of energy conversion has very little energy loss and is thus highly efficient. Thermal energy and electrical energy are produced at the same time— an ideal situation for food production which requires both.
The Biogas plant supports the goals of minimizing our carbon footprint and gaining energy independence through the creation of renewable, on-farm energy . Already a leader in sustainable farming nationally, the company believes that their new BioGas Plant will firmly establish Stahlbush Island Farms, Inc. as an international leader in the Sustainable Food Production movement. Please ask questions! Tell us what you think!
