Renewable Power Generation from Dairy Farm Waste

This case study outlines the partnership between Bar20 Dairy Farms and CalBio, which aims to generate renewable power from dairy farm waste. Bar20, located in Kerman, California, produces significant amounts of biogas from cow manure, which is utilized to create electricity through a collaboration with Bloom Energy. The project employs solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to convert biogas into electricity efficiently, avoiding the harmful emissions associated with traditional combustion methods. The system includes a gas conditioning process to clean the biogas, enabling its use in renewable electricity generation. The project, operational since October 2022, has achieved a remarkable Carbon Intensity (CI) score of -790 gCO2e/MJ, the lowest recorded under California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program. Additionally, the project generates revenue through LCFS credits and offsets high energy costs, demonstrating an effective waste-to-electricity solution that benefits both the environment and the farm's economic viability.