News Dairy Anaerobic Digestion Energy
Wisconsin dairy works with U.S. Gain for RNG project

S&S Jerseyland Dairy in Sturgeon Bay, WI, is the site of a newly operational renewable natural gas (RNG) project. The project was completed by U.S. Gain, a company that specializes in the development, procurement and distribution of RNG, in only eight months.

U.S. Gain purchased the Jerseyland anaerobic digester, which has been in operation since 2011, in September 2019. Initially converting the manure from the dairy’s herd of 4,000 Jersey cows to renewable energy, U.S. Gain made the necessary upgrades for fuel production.

According to the Jerseyland website, recycling methane (the byproduct of cow manure) is a priority to save on surrounding resources while supplying the neighborhood with electricity. The digester at S&S Jerseyland produced enough energy to power over 600 homes while producing bedding for their freestall barns.

“As organizations continue the shift from fossil-based products to renewables, the demand for RNG as an alternative fuel and thermal energy continues to climb,” said Mike Koel, president of U.S. Gain. “We’re excited to be involved in so many dairy-based RNG development projects because of the multitude of benefits brought to rural and urban communities across the nation.”

Gas collected at the facility is taken through a complex processing system that results in RNG comprised of 99.5 percent methane. The facility recently obtained project certification from the California Air Resources Board, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Typically, projects like these take 12 to 18 months to bring online.

RNG produced at Jerseyland is transported to U.S. Gain’s new decant facility, then injected into the pipeline and transmitted to organizations throughout the nation.