Wisconsin dairy brings online second digester energy project

MTU Onsite Energy recently completed installing its first fully engineered anaerobic digester combined-heat-and-power (CHP) system in North America at Statz Bros. Inc.’s newly developed milking facility in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

The MTU Onsite Energy 8V 4000 GS CHP system produces 763 kilowatts of electricity and 2.4 million Btus of heat per hour. It will meet most needs of the family-owned, 2,500-cow operation, which includes multiple locations. According to MTU, the CHP system will help Statz Farms offset operating costs and help reduce overall energy usage by up to 42 percent.

Statz Bros. has two on-farm manure digesters serving its operations. The first was installed in 2009 at its home farm. The new digester at the expanded facility will be fully operational by late August, when Statz Bros. will host the 2015 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.

Both digesters also provide nutrients for crop production—Statz Bros. also farms over 6,000 acres—and bedding for the farms’ cows

Gary Mason of MTU America said the CHP installation was completed in May and commissioning is ongoing.

MTU Onsite Energy is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems within the Land & Sea division of Rolls-Royce.