The Zero Waste Energy Development Company LLC (ZWEDC) has successfully launched the world’s largest anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in San Jose, California. The facility meets the stringent standards for LEED Gold Certification and is a fully enclosed and ventilated organic waste processing and renewable power generation facility which will be constructed in three phases. Each phase will process up to 90,000 tons per year of organic waste (250 tons per day) and when entirely complete will process up to 270,000 tons per year (750 tons per day).
Each of the three phases will consist of 16 anaerobic digestion tunnels and 4 in-vessel composting tunnels. They may also include two 800kW combined heat and power supply units per phase for electricity production and/or biogas clean-up systems for the production of CNG.
ZWEDC was formed in 2011 by privately owned local companies GreenWaste Recovery Inc and Zanker Road Resource Management Ltd. After conducting a thorough investigation into existing AD technologies, the company approached Eggersmann Anlagenbau with a view to selecting that company’s patented Kompoferm high solids dry anaerobic digestion and IVC Plus in-vessel composting technologies. The company now holds the exclusive license in North America for the Kompoferm technology, providing design, permitting and systems integration for the San Jose project under that license. The facility will be the first commercial-scale dry fermentation anaerobic digester in the US and will provide clean green energy in the form of either electricity or vehicle fuel while simultaneously producing a high quality compost product.
Phase 1 of the facility will process the City of San José’s commercial organic waste through a 15-year exclusive organics processing agreement with the City of San José. The organic material will include pre- and post-consumer source separated food waste, residuals form processing wet and dry materials and yard waste. At least 250 jobs are expected to be created during the construction of the facility.
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