Features Anaerobic Digestion Business/Policy Energy Energy Production Manure Application United States
SmartFerm technology introduced in California

Jul. 19, 2012, Lafayette, CA – Zero Waste Energy (ZWE) have announced the development of two semi-mobile anaerobic digestion (AD) plant facilities throughout the State of California utilizing their SmartFerm technology. The proposed installation of these SmartFerm facilities in Napa and Montereycounties are part of Zero Waste Energy’s visionary strategy to transform the way communities, businesses, and municipalities in the world’s eighth-largest economy manage organic waste-streams.

Through a new partnership agreement, Environmental Solutions Group (ESG), a Dover Industries company, will be the U.S. manufacturer of the SmartFerm digester units—designed and engineered as semi-mobile, modular plants.  These modular plants utilize dry fermentation of organic waste-streams traditionally consigned to landfill disposal. As such, they are the first of their kind and represent a major paradigm shift in waste-stream management.  Due to space-efficient design and engineering, SmartFerm semi-mobile plants may be installed on sites as compact as 3000 sq./ft. in as little as four weeks. Operating costs are low and are offset by harvesting high-quality compost and biogas that can be converted to power or fuel (CNG) from waste materials. The combined benefits make this an effective centerpiece for rural distributed power networks and urban eco-districts.

Because of their compact physical footprint, ZWE’s SmartFerm modular plants fit unobtrusively within the space limitations of most commercial businesses and public institutions. Virtually every large university, as well as large-scale corporate campuses can be transformed into their own urban eco-district through the utilization of SmartFerm technology.

Greg Kelly, General Manager of Napa Recycling and Waste Services, offered this summary:

“After studying Anaerobic Digestion technologies for the last several years, Napa Recycling and Waste Services along with the City of Napa released an RFI to seven different dry AD vendors. They engaged CH2MHILL to analyze the responses.  SmartFerm (Zero Waste Energy) was the only respondent that could scale down to our 10,000 tons requirement and still remain cost efficient. Using SmartFerm will also allow our operations to increase volumes when we secure additional feedstock as well as provide CNG for our fleet.”

William Merry, General Manager of the Monterey Regional Waste Management District, gave listeners these comments:

“For nearly four years now, we have steadily honed the district’s food-scrap organics composting program that utilizes an open windrow process. We intend to expand this highly successful composting program by installing SmartFerm technology on a pilot demonstration basis. The recovered energy value is exponential: the power produced from the project will be sold to the neighboring regional wastewater treatment plant to help them achieve their strategic goal of getting off the utility grid. SmartFerm goes beyond being a win-win-win for our community. It is a win for our community, our economy, and our local ecology.  I cannot speak highly enough about Zero Waste Energy.”

Dirk Dudgeon, Senior VP of Business Development at Zero Waste Energy, says “we are very excited to have these projects be the first of many we are developing in California. The SmartFerm technology, coupled with our team’s considerable expertise in project delivery, will ensure that we show the industry and our clients that there is a viable, economical solution to removing the organic fraction from the landfill.”

About Zero Waste Energy

Zero Waste Energy (ZWE) is a global project developer that utilizes patented Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology and resource recovery processes to solve immediate problems for the waste industry. Zero Waste Energy specializes in executable technologies and real-world systems with practical applications. All of our solutions integrate seamlessly with existing urban footprints and infrastructure. In design, development, and operation, our projects are noted for superior engineering, operational effectiveness, sound economics, and reliable clean energy production.

Kompoferm is a field constructed anaerobic digestion (AD) technology that renders solid organic waste into usable bi-products such as compressed natural gas (CNG) and electricity. Additionally, Kompoferm utilizes in-vessel composting (IVC) technology, to transform the bi-product into high-quality compost. The harvested energy and material revenue streams from an operating Kompoferm plant are multifold: recoverable commodities, soil amendments, renewable energy credits, as well as disposal cost avoidance. 

SmartFerm is a space-efficient, pre-fabricated, scalable modular system capable of processing between 4,000 and 10,000 TPY that can be built in as little as four weeks. The latest technology features include a thermophilic process for increased gas production and pathogen reduction in the digesters all in the same twenty-one day cycle.  Zero Waste Energy’s design, development, and construction teams can help engineer any SmartFerm project for future phased expansion or relocation.

For more detailed information on Zero Waste Energy’s technology, systems, and projects, visit: www.zwenergy.com