Tulare County Board Of Supervisors expect more anaerobic digester projects in the county buoyed by government incentives to reduce greenhouse gases,lessen organic and foods waste and reduce odors. The plants would also make electric power. A memo from staff says the county RMA intends to streamline the permitting process after companies interested in developing digesters contacted them and indicated to expect “numerous projects”.
The county will collect a fee from the annual revenue as well. Currently county gets $1000 per megawatt for solar projects on private land and $125 per megawatt for projects built on public land.The county would extend the fee to biomass digesters. Anaerobic digestion is a collection of processes by which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen.The process is used for industrial or domestic purposes to manage waste and/or to produce fuels. Much of the fermentation used industrially to produce food and drink products, as well as home fermentation, uses anaerobic digestion. Silage is produced by anaerobic digestion.
The BOS are expected to approve the plan this week.
Several new digesters are seeking permits now including 2 in the Tulare area and 1 near Tipton.