October 24, 2024. Vanguard Renewables, a portfolio company of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a part of BlackRock, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its newest renewable natural gas (RNG) project at The Moyer Family’s Oakmulgee Dairy Farm in Amelia Court House, VA. The farm, owned by Larkin Moyer, a fourth-generation dairyman, along with his sons Brandon and Jeremy and is the oldest continuously operating family dairy in the Commonwealth.
The Farm Powered anaerobic digester at Oakmulgee Dairy Farm, will produce more than 259K MMBtu/year of renewable gas and divert over 105K tons of food and beverage waste from landfill or incineration yearly.
The project will be constructed and operated by Vanguard Renewables and is part of a recently announced joint venture between Vanguard Renewables and TotalEnergies, a global integrated energy company, to develop, build and operate Farm Powered renewable natural gas projects across the United States.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Moyer Family who are truly building the farm of the future, to bring this transformative technology to life. By converting inedible and unsalable food and beverage waste and dairy cow manure into renewable gas, we are not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions and repurposing methane for good, but also creating a sustainable energy source that benefits both the environment and local communities”, said Neil H. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Vanguard Renewables.
The centerpiece of this trailblazing initiative at Oakmulgee Dairy Farm is this state-of-the-art Anaerobic Digester system that will recycle organic materials into renewable gas that is upgraded on-site and injected into the nation’s existing pipeline infrastructure. The renewable natural gas produced at this site in Virginia will go on to fuel AstraZeneca’s Maryland biopharmaceutical production facilities.
The collaboration between Vanguard Renewables, the Moyer Family, TotalEnergies, and AstraZeneca exemplifies the potential for cross-industry partnerships to drive positive environmental changes and reduce carbon emissions.