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Project Update
Sierra Nevada Cheese has begun background development work supporting the industrial decarbonization project.
Collaboration between plant operations staff and equipment engineers is generating integration plans for the biogas plant, generator, and heat pump to ensure seamless integration with the cheese factory.
Ongoing communication with county regulatory agencies is ensuring CEQA compliance and is setting expectations for the various permits required to build the project.
Integration with the electrical grid has completed first-phase engineering review, with interconnection application under Rule 21 in process.
Modifications to the project location are in discussions with subcontractors and vendors to codify all earthworks and utility access.
TAC membership has been finalized, preparing for first meeting in October 2025.
Prepared first drafts of Measurement and Verification Plan and Project Case Study Plan.
The Issue
Sierra Nevada Cheese has an opportunity to decarbonize its manufacturing process by producing biogas from wastewater. The biogas will be used in an ultra-low NOx generator to make electricity for use on site. Surplus biogas will fuel boilers that otherwise would run on natural gas. Coupled with a high-efficiency heat pump that makes both hot and cold water, the project will cut energy consumption and potentially become carbon neutral.
Project Innovation
High-capacity anaerobic digestion technology will produce biogas from the cheese facility's wastewater. The biogas will fuel a Mainspring Linear Generator, which, unlike combustion engines, has ultra-low NOx emissions.
By incorporating a Flow CO2 heat pump, the facility will produce both hot and cold water for the cheesemaking process, cutting electricity and natural gas demand and further reducing carbon emissions from the facility.
Project Goals
Design and install an anaerobic digestion facility to process 100% of the factory's wastewater to produce 82scfm biogas
Install a 250kW Mainspring Linear Generator to cover 100% of the facility's electricity demand using biogas as fuel
Install dual fuel burner and boiler to generate heat from surplus biogas and displace natural gas consumption
Install a Flow CO2 heat pump to make hot and cold water for the factory, reducing electricity and natural gas demand
Validate the integration of the above technologies and processes to achieve carbon negative operations
Address community needs to ensure project's benefits have visibility in region
Bring this technology and solution to California's industrial markets
Project Benefits
This project will advance technological breakthroughs to overcome barriers to the achievement of the State of California’s statutory energy goals by demonstrating the holistic approach to biogas capture, systematic industrial energy conservation and self-generation of renewable energy. The integration of technologies, practices, and processes that capture/reduce/reuse/ or self-generate energy in this project will achieve significant, replicable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while generating economic growth, reducing local air pollution near a disadvantaged population, and reducing demand on the electrical grid.
