Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
Florida Public Utilities (FPU), LLC, working in collaboration with Full Circle Dairy, in Lee, broke ground in February on a new facility at the dairy that will use manure from the dairy cows and turn it into renewable natural gas (RNG) that can be used to power homes and businesses. When fully operational, this facility will capture the methane produced by the manure, preventing it from entering the atmosphere. Then, the facility will use that material to create clean energy that can be stored, distributed and utilized to power vehicles or appliances.
“Our RNG facility will produce 100,000 average dekatherms of RNG each year,” said Phillip Watts in an op-ed published by the Tallahassee Democrat. “The project, which is expected to commence in 2024, is estimated to capture and redirect approximately 1,116 metric tons of methane per year, which is equivalent to 27,900 metric tons of carbon dioxide. That’s the same level of carbon reduction as removing 6,012 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from Florida roads for an entire year.”
FPU Renewables is a subsidiary of Chesapeake Utilities Corp. “Chesapeake Utilities is committed to being a leader in the transition to a lower-carbon future," said Jeff Householder, president and CEO of Chesapeake Utilities Corp. “We continue to look for ways to displace more carbon-intensive fuels, and we're working hard to develop waste-to-energy production facilities, and associated infrastructure, that improve agricultural conditions in Florida and other service areas. Collaborations such as the one with Full Circle Dairy are continuing to move both the energy and agricultural industries toward a more sustainable future."
Construction has begun on the facility, which is expected to be operational in the next year.