Vanguard Renewables, a company under Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and part of BlackRock, began the construction of its first renewable natural gas (RNG) project in Virginia at Oakmulgee Dairy Farm.
Situated in Amelia Court House, Oakmulgee Dairy is Virginia’s oldest continuously operating family dairy farm, owned by Larkin Moyer and his family.
The new Farm Powered anaerobic digester facility will convert over 105,000 tons of food and beverage waste and dairy manure into renewable natural gas each year, generating more than 259,000 MMBtu of RNG.
This initiative is a collaboration between Vanguard Renewables and TotalEnergies to establish RNG projects across the US.
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Neil H. Smith, CEO of Vanguard Renewables said, “We are thrilled to partner with the Moyer Family who are truly building the farm of the future, to bring this transformative technology to life.”
He added, “By converting inedible and unsalable food and beverage waste and dairy cow manure into renewable gas, we are not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions and repurposing methane for good, but also creating a sustainable energy source that benefits both the environment and local communities.”
The anaerobic digester system will convert organic waste into RNG, and then it will upgrade the RNG on-site and inject it into the nation’s pipeline infrastructure.
The RNG produced from Oakmulgee Dairy will power AstraZeneca’s biopharmaceutical production facilities in Maryland.
AstraZeneca and Vanguard Renewables have collaborated since 2023 to boost renewable gas productivity at Vanguard’s U.S. sites.
This Virginia project is part of Vanguard Renewables’ expansion across the country.
It is currently operating seven facilities, with three more under construction and plans for additional facilities by the end of the year.
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Creating a Sustainable Cycle with Byproducts for Agriculture
Additionally, the anaerobic digestion process will yield valuable byproducts for farms, including low-carbon biofertilizer and bedding material for livestock, creating a sustainable cycle from farm to energy production and back.
Through collaborations with the Moyer family and companies like AstraZeneca, Vanguard Renewables is showcasing the potential of cross-industry collaboration in reducing carbon emissions and advancing sustainable energy solutions.