ANAEROBIC DIGESTION RENEWABLE ENERGY
Specific activities in renewable energy relates to directing and managing the creation and implemetation of anaerobic digestion systems. Specifically these activities entail: conducting feasibility studies; anaerobic digestion facilities plans; technical and financial analyses for digestion process selection; detailed engineering process design; preparation of plans and specifications, project bidding evaluation, obtaining digestion facility permits; Engineer Procure Construct contractor agreement negotiations; providing construction management, oversight, observation, and administration. Both municipal and private digestion projects were implemented.
Provides independent engineering opinions to financial institutions/investment banks for non-recourse financing for private developer anaerobic digestion projects. These services include reviews of: qualifications/experience of the developer and the developer’s proposed engineering design consultants; qualifications of the developer’s propsed operation and maintenance staff; proposed anaerobic digestion projects and biogas cleaning technologies; the design of the projects; the performance of developer’s installed anaerobic digester prototypes and pilot facilities; the proposed process and instrumentation diagrams (“P&IDs”) the performance and biogas production of the projects; the developer’s predictive biogas mathematical calculations and biogas production projections; the design of the proposed biogas cleaning process; the proposed construction schedule for reasonableness; the construction capital cost methodology and the cost estimate prepared by the developer; and the operation and maintenance costs prepared by the developer.
During the contruction phase of anaerobic digestion projects, provides the following professional services: monthly site visits to monitor the construction progress of the projects, review of documentation submitted by the developer for monthly payments from project construction drawdowns, and preparation of monthly project Construction Drawdown Certificates for the trustee and issuer of the financing describing how and where the monthly draw on the bond funds will be used and construction “in the ground” accurately reflects the developers requested draw.
REPRESENTAIVE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION PROJECTS
Manure/Supplemental Substrate-to-Energy Technology Review
Cargill Environmental Finance, Dry Creek Dairy, Twin Falls, Idaho
As Principal Consultant, performed a technology review of the anaerobic digestion technology being constructed at the Dry Creek Dairy Farm by Cargill. The review focused on the project’s overall design, performance capabilities, major equipment and redundancies and life expectancy of the major equipment, as well as interconnections with off-site facilities such as electric transmission, fuel delivery, water supply, and wastewater and stormwater discharge.
Reviewed the EPC Agreement and O&M Agreement, including incentives to operate and maintain the project cost effectively, the adequacy of the start-up and long-term operating programs and procedures, the reasonableness of the annual fee structure. In addition, he reviewed the list of non-fuel O&M cost estimate components, comment on its completeness and the basis and assumptions upon which each cost component was calculated and commented on their reasonableness. The O&M review included a review of proposed staffing, maintenance provisions, spare parts, chemical consumptions, water, waste disposal, administrative costs, management fees, catalysts and consumables.
Fatal Flaw Report: Anaerobic Digestion of Thin Stillage for Ethanol Plant Energy
Sendero Asset Management, LLC, Ethanol Facility, Matagorda County, TX
As Principal Consultant, performed a “fatal flaw” review of the anaerobic digestion technology (“ADT”) selected for biogas production, which will be used to fire the steam boilers in a corn ethanol plant for Sendero Asset Management, LLC. His role during this technology review was to review the principal aspects of the ADT including the basic engineering design and the incorporation of the ADT in a proposed ethanol plant in Matagorda County, Texas.
Fatal flaw review focused on review of process and design data with regard to: process flow diagrams; heat and material balances; energy conversion efficiency; specific substrates and feedstock to be applied to the ADT; availability of the ADT process; biogas quality to the ethanol plant; capacity of the proposed ADT; environmental emissions caused by biogas utilization; and ADT residuals handling and disposal provisions.
Reviewed the proposed anaerobic digestion process, met with the developer’s design team to review the design of the project, reviewed the performance of developer’s pilot plant digester prototypes, reviewed the performance and biogas production of the prototypes, investigated the developer’s predictive biogas mathematical model and biogas projections made by the project developer, reviewed the design of the proposed biogas cleaning process and prepared the Fatal Flaw Report.
Independent Engineer’s Report – Anaerobic Digestion of Manure and Thin Stillage – Production of Biogas
E3 Biofuel-Mead, LLC Integrated Solid Waste and Biofuels Project, Mead, Nebraska
As Technical Task Leader – Digestion, prepared an Independent Engineer’s Report for financing an integrated anaerobic digestion and ethanol project in Nebraska that produces biogas from dairy cow manure and supplemental substrate consisting of thin stillage from an adjacent ethanol production facility.
The biogas produced is processed to remove moisture resulting in a biogas that will be burned in the boilers of the adjacent ethanol production facility. The biogas provides the heat energy required for the ethanol facility. The anaerobic digestion process used for the Nebraska projects is a completely-mixed, mesophillic process operating at a temperature of 105 F. This digestion technology has been used by many municipal and industrial entities for over 100 years.
As the anaerobic digestion task leader, reviewed the proposed anaerobic digestion process, investigated the biogas projections made by the project developer, reviewed the proposed construction schedule for reasonableness, reviewed the construction costs and the operation and maintenance costs and prepared the anaerobic digestion section of the Independent Engineer Report for project financing.
Anaerobic Digestion of Manure & Cheese Whey – Production of Renewable Natural Gas
Intrepid Technology and Resources Biogas LLC
Gooding County Methane Facility, Gooding County, Idaho
As Principal Engineer, engaged by Ferris Baker Watts to prepare an Independent Engineer’s Report for financing two Renewable Natural Gas Projects consisting of two separate anaerobic digestion plants in Idaho that produce biogas from dairy cow manure and supplemental substrate consisting of cheese whey.
The biogas produced is processed and cleaned in a patented process to remove hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and moisture resulting in a renewable natural gas product for sale to a local natural gas pipeline owner. The anaerobic digestion process used for the Idaho projects is a patented upflow-expanded bed, mesophillic process operating at a temperature of 105 F. One project has 10 individual digester reactors and the other project has 14 individual digester reactors. This technology has been patented by UtahStateUniversity.
As the anaerobic digestion lead technical engineer, reviewed the proposed anaerobic digestion process, met with the developer’s design team to review the design of the project, reviewed the developer’s previously installed digester prototype, reviewed the performance and biogas production of the prototype, investigated the biogas projections made by the project developer, reviewed the design of the proposed biogas cleaning process, reviewed the proposed construction schedule for reasonableness, reviewed the construction cost methodology and the cost estimate prepared by the developer, reviewed the operation and maintenance costs prepared by the developer and prepared the anaerobic digestion section of the Independent Engineer Report for project financing.
Independent Engineer’s Report Anaerobic Digestion of Manure & Substrate – Production of Renewable Natural Gas
Microgy, Inc. Anaerobic Digestion Projects Erath and Deaf Smith Counties, Texas
As Principal Managing Engnieer, selected by Environmental Power Corporation, the parent company of Microgy, Inc., to prepare an Independent Engineer’s Report for financing four (4) separate anaerobic digestion projects in Texas that produce biogas from dairy cow manure and supplemental substrate consisting of food processing oils.
The biogas produced will be processed and cleaned to remove hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and moisture resulting in a renewable natural gas that will be sold to a local natural gas pipeline owner.
The anaerobic digestion process used for the Texas projects is a completely-mixed, thermophilic process operating at a temperature of 125 F. Each project will have a total of eight individual digester reactors. This technology originally was designed and implemented in Denmark for over 25 operating plants. Microgy has the license to implement the Danish technology in the United States.
Reviewed Microgy’s three operating anaerobic digestion projects in Wisconsin, each having single digester reactors and each using the biogas to generate electricity.
Evaluated and gave an independent engineering opinion as to the viability, feasibility and reliability of the proposed anaerobic digestion process and biogas cleaning technology, met with the developer’s design team to review the design of the project, reviewed the performance of developer’s previously installed dairy digester prototypes, reviewed the performance and biogas production of the prototypes, investigated the developer’s predictive biogas mathematical model and biogas projections made by the project developer, reviewed the design of the proposed biogas cleaning process, reviewed the proposed construction schedule for reasonableness, reviewed the construction cost methodology and the cost estimate prepared by the developer, reviewed the operation and maintenance costs prepared by the developer, prepared the anaerobic digestion section of and managed the preparation of the Independent Engineer Report for project financing.
As Construction Oversight Manager, provided construction oversight for the four Texas anaerobic digestion projects of Microgy, assessed the progress of construction, and prepared monthly progress reports for the financial trustees and investors. In addition, reviewed and approved Microgy’s monthly construction draws in accordance with the Loan Agreement, Trust Indenture, and Drawing Agreement prepared prior to issuing the project’s tax-exempt, non-recourse bonds.
Design, Bid and Construction Management of Primary/Secondary Anaerobic Digester Upgrades
Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, Massena, NY
As Project Manager and Lead Designer for this plant upgrade responsible for directing surveyors, site engineers, architects, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, HVAC engineers and electrical engineers.
Performed detailed final designs of liquid wastewater and anaerobic biosolids treatment systems, process calculations, liquid and solids process calculations, hydraulic and pumping calculations, prepared bid set of plans and specifications, provided construction management and start-up services for a 2.75 MGD municipal WWTP.
On behalf of the client, conducted the bidding, reviewed the bids for consistency with the bid conditions, reviewed the bids with the client and advised the client as to the selection of the successful bidder.
During Construction, provided construction management, shop drawing management and review, change order review and negotiation, and approval of general contractor requisitions.
Special project design features included: compressed anaerobic digester gas mixing system, traveling bridge secondary clarifiers with rapid sludge return, and disk nozzle centrifuges for waste activated sludge thickening. Emphasis on this upgrade was renovation of the exisitng anaerobic digesters to include: new floating cover, new biogas compressors, new biogas piping, new innovative tank mixing system amd new plant bioler to burn biogas/natural gas.
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Demonstration Grant for Construction of New Municipal Anaerobic Digestion Cogeneration Facility
Avon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Avon, NY
As Senior Project Manager, prepared the Grant Application and won a Demonstration Grant for the Village of Avon, New York, to be used to the implement the cogeneration of electricity via the utilization of anaerobic digester gas. The proposal was selected out of 85 applicants statewide. Provided the complete planning, conceptual design, capital and O&M analysis, life-cycle cost analysis for the cogeneration facility and obtained the money for Avon to use for construction.
Engineer Report for Assessment of Biogas Production from Municipal Anaerobic Digesters in New England
Confidential Private Investor, Massachusetts
As Principal Engineer, conducted a high-level evaluation and prepared a report, which evaluated the potential of creating renewable energy using anaerobic digestion at various municipal wastewater treatment facilities (“WWTF”) in New England. The evaluation assessed the technical feasibility of creating renewable energy from the recovery of biogas produced from anaerobic digestion and the potential of utilizing combined heat and power systems that burn biogas to produce electrical energy. In addition, the analysis estimated the potential quantity of electrical energy that could be generated from selected WWTF.
Design, Bid and Construction Management of Anaerobic Digester Upgrades
Two Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plants, Webster, NY
As Project Manager/Construction Manager, provided preliminary and final design services for a 15.75-MGD and a 3.75 MGD municipal advanced WWTP for nitrogen and phosphorus removal. He performed detailed process and hydraulic calculations, final designs of liquid wastewater and anaerobic digesters and biosolids treatment systems, prepared bid set of plans and specifications, provided construction management and start-up services.
Special project design features included: two-stage recirculating trickling filters on two different sites, combination complete mix and conventional activated sludge with fine bubble aeration, modulating control structure for hydraulic control of submerged effluent weirs.
Anaerobic Digestion experience in more detail along with the clients I served.
