Central Virginia Green Poultry Energy Project

2009 Virginia Ag SummitFebruary 9, 2009William F. Osl, Jr.

Central Virginia Green Poultry Energy Project

• Factors Supporting Project• The Project• Project Accomplishments• Next Steps

Factors Supporting Project

Cumberland County & County Farm Bureau co-host Summits to surface opportunities and challenges facing:

‣ rural preservation & growth‣ farm profitability & preservation

Factors Supporting Project

• Cumberland ranks 5th in poultry production• Regulatory uncertainty - poultry waste• Growth pressure• Existing technology• Growing demand for alternative energy &

renewable resource products• Farmers and county leaders - supportive

The Project

Process poultry litter, hay, straw, and wood chips, using thermophilic anaerobic digestion to:

1)generate energy from methane gas2)organic soil amendments from the undigested solid and liquid co-products3)credits for sequestration of pollution causing compounds

The Project

• Cumberland farmers visit West Virginia State University’s Bioplex Project (3/07)– Anaerobic digestion of poultry litter and

co-product utilization– Pilot plant operating since 1999 – http://bioplexproject.wvstateu.edu/

• Cumberland farmers form Steering Committee to explore renewable energy opportunities using poultry wastes

The Project• Steering Committee decides to further

pursue opportunities using thermophilic anaerobic digestion of poultry wastes– Donald Bishop, Chairman– John Bapties– Lester Goin– William Osl– William Sanderson, Jr. – Thomas Smith– Charles Womack, III– Elbert Womack– Robert Womack

The Project

• The process includes:– blending poultry wastes, biomass, water

and microbes in an enclosed environment– separating biogas and digested solids

slurry– combustion of biogas as fuel or to

generate steam or electricity– processing digested solids slurry into

organic fertilizers & compost

The Project

• Opportunities – alternative use and market for poultry

litter– alternative use for landfill-destined

biomass– renewable energy supply– renewable fertilizer product supply– carbon footprint reduction – farmer/local ownership– reduced regulatory issues– market driven environmentally friendly

“win-win” solution

Project Accomplishments

• Steering Committee initiates feasibility study (5/07)

• USDA Rural Development awards Cumberland Farm Bureau $37,000 VAPG on behalf of Steering Committee to conduct a feasibility study & develop a business plan (9/07)

Project Accomplishments

• Steering Committee engages expertise from the following:– Enviro-Control, Ltd– Longwood Univ. Small Business Dev.

Center– Pepco Energy Services– Virginia Cooperative Extension– Virginia Farm Bureau Federation

Project Accomplishments

• Feasibility Study completed (6/08)– farmer-owned anaerobic digester was

determined technically feasible– 14 tons poultry litter/day

(< 25% regional litter production)– 1.4 megawatt output

(enough electricity for >1,000 homes) – organic solid fertilizer– organic liquid fertilizer

Project Accomplishments

• Business plan is completed (12/08)• Ag-Renewable Resources, LLC files

its Articles of Organization (01/09)

Next Steps

• Extend membership/ownership opportunity to fellow poultry farmers in Cumberland and surrounding counties

• Assemble financing• Begin construction

Thank you.

Questions?