In the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley, you’ll find RuAnn and Maddox Dairy Farms, afamily-owned and operated establishment. Beyond their dairy operations, the familymanages a sprawling 10,000-acre estate, consisting of 5,000 acres dedicated to vineyardsand almonds, and an additional 4,000 acres dedicated to supplying feed for their dairyoperations. Renowned for its pedigree of Holsteins, the RuAnn facility also boasts a cuttingedgein vitro fertilization facility focused on genetic advancements.
The avus 500plus system, with a power output of 550 kW, is an exceptionally efficient engine that runs on biogas to generate both electricity and thermal energy. The customerharnesses this heat directly to warm the digestor, creating biogas, which, in turn, powersthe engine. The electricity generated in this eco-friendly process is fed back into the grid forlocal utility consumption. A unique factor of the project is that it is integrated with a solarfield nearby to create a full-scale microgrid with the CHP as the backbone. By producinggreen energy, the customer qualifies for both state and federal tax incentives, allowingthem to maintain substantially lower total operating costs.