January 15, 2024. Ag-Grid Energy LLC announced the December 2023 start-up of its anaerobic digester at Lent Hill Dairy Farm in Cohocton, NY. A partnership between Ag-Grid and Lent Hill, the digester is Ag-Grid Energy’s fifth operating waste-to-energy facility and its first in New York State.
Ag-Grid is dedicated to creating renewable energy while providing family-owned dairy farms with an additional revenue source and helping them to reduce their environmental footprint by mitigating methane emissions. The 1MW facility is co-digesting cow manure from Lent Hill Dairy and food waste collected from the surrounding area. The byproduct is biogas, which is converted into electricity that will be used by the Chobani yogurt company and Winsor Acres, a dairy farm, who have partnered to off-take the renewable energy via the NYSEG grid. “Ag-Grid is grateful to its key partners and local champions for making this project a reality,” said Abu Akki, Director of Business Development for Ag-Grid Energy.
The Lent Hill Ag-Grid facility will divert up to 35,000 gallons of food waste per day from landfills, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating clean energy. Food waste is being obtained from a variety of food manufacturers, creameries, supermarkets, and restaurants within a 50-mile radius of the facility. The Belgioioso Cheese plant in Campbell, NY, was an early supporter of the project. Plant Manager Dean Strobel said, “Ag-Grid has been a reliable partner since day one. Their relentless commitment and vision to the Lent Hill Ag-Grid project has allowed us to recycle our food waste into clean renewable energy. We are very proud to be one of the initial companies to sign onto this project.”
Projects like Lent Hill Ag-Grid provide multiple benefits to the farming operation, including reducing odors and use of chemical fertilizers while enhancing water quality and creating renewable energy. Lent Hill Dairy will also benefit from the return of pathogen-free solid fiber bedding for their dairy cows.