The system is mobile and is designed to deliver 100kW of electricity. It is also modular with 1 MW being provided in a 10 system server farm with a compact footprint. The business model is to sell "electricity as a service" at a discounted rate to what customers are currently paying for their electricity. There is no upfront cost to the customer, and the company owns, operates and maintains the systems. Any form of biomass can be converted, but the company has focused on agricultural waste, such as almond shells, pistachio shells, tree prunings, grapevine prunings and manure.
"The advantage of bioenergy is that there is an abundant cheap source of fuel that can provide electricity on demand," said Dr. Greg Campbell, CEO of VGid. "This is important for utilities who struggle to manage intermittent sources from solar and wind."
The company has worked with veterinarians to certify the carbon as a cattle feed additive with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and several other states. Early trials indicate an improvement in feed efficiency and a significant reduction in methane emissions from livestock. The carbon can also be used for water and air filtration, odor elimination as well as a soil amendment. In a cannabis indoor grow trial with a leading cannabis producer, we demonstrated a 100% increase in yield.
