Partnering Commercial Greenhouses with Dairy Manure Based Anaerobic Digestion Systems - Quantifying Energy Synergies

Abstract

One way to improve the economics of dairy manure-based anaerobic digestion systems (ADS), controlled environment agriculture systems, and overall sustainability for both dairy and greenhouse enterprises is to share surplus electricity and heat produced by the farm-based digesters with greenhouses. A three-year project we recently completed had an overall goal of quantifying the synergies of surplus heat and electricity produced by manure-based anaerobic digesters and the electrical and heat demands of commercial greenhouses. As a part of the project, on-site data was collected over its duration from three commercial dairy farms with operating anaerobic digesters (two in NY and one in ME) and from two smaller commercial greenhouses (NY and Ontario, Canada). Collected data, along with other available data and engineering principles, were used to develop and validate computer models with a purpose of predicting surplus heat and electricity from ADS and the associated demands of commercial greenhouses. The computer models were then developed into a user-friendly software package that we refer to as “Cornell Digester Greenhouse Simulation Software” (CDGSS).