Andgar to separate AD division under new name, expand territory

Leaders of Ferndale, Washington-based Andgar recently announced today they are splitting off their digester division under the new name Regenis and expanding their project reach into California.

"We live in a time when it's more important than ever to reimagine our reusable resources," said Regenis President Todd Kunzman to an audience of 300 policy makers, entrepreneurs and CEO's at the fifth-annual Washington Future Energy Conference, "and digester technology is a prime example of how to turn waste into a virtuous cycle of products from clean electricity to reusable water to compost and bio-fertilizers—all of which help reduce our environmental footprint while giving rural farming communities new sources of revenue." 

Andgar has been a staple in Northwest Washington for decades, providing general contracting, metal fabrication, plumbing and residential heating and cooling systems from Seattle to the Canadian border. In 2004, the company leveraged its knowledge of various trades to build the Northwest's first anaerobic digester, which is still in operation. Since then, Andgar completed 12 digester projects for dairy farms in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, capturing enough clean biogas from methane emissions to power over 10,000 homes.

"As we continued to build digesters, it became apparent in addition to different geographic territories we serve, this part of the company has a fundamentally different mission from our other core elements," Kunzman said. "Regenis is in the business of stewardship. In fact, the name 'Regenis' is a hybrid symbolizing both the rebirth of our planet's reusable organic resources, and the new generation of leadership propelling the company with a continued ethic to leave our land better for the next generation."

Regenis also announced at the conference they are completing their first anaerobic digester in California, which will have a public unveiling in February 2015. "We've expanded our partnership with DVO Inc. to build California's first and only rugged and reliable 100 percent American made digester," Kunzman said.

Kunzman spoke about the particular relevance of digester technology to the Golden State, both in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from methane as well as water conservation during the longest drought in California history. "Because our digesters kill off the greatest amount of bacteria and pathogens from decaying organic waste, it results in cleaner water for reuse on crops and farm operations at a time when every gallon is a valuable and precious resource," he said.

Kunzman also singled out Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, the keynote speaker at the conference and a national leader in the fight to reduce carbon emissions, for his leadership promoting clean energy through policies like the recently enacted Clean Energy Fund to encourage the development of additional digesters in the state. 

Inslee, in turn, praised digesters for their ability to capture methane and turn it into a base load source of clean energy. "Earlier this year, I directed state agencies to develop a broad set of programs and policies that will drive carbon pollution out of our energy, and companies like Regenis not only help bring us closer to that goal but they help provide the lifeblood of our state economy while protecting the watersheds and our fisheries from harmful runoff and creating new construction jobs to help power the low carbon industries of tomorrow," he said. "This is why Washington is known as an innovation state, and why we must remain at the forefront of clean energy policy and innovation."