Kompogas SLO

Presenting a Sustainable Approach to Waste Management

Food and Beverages Tech Review

Heath Jones, North American President and Managing Director, Kompogas SLOHeath Jones, North American President and Managing Director
Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI)'s Kompogas SLO plant celebrates its 5th anniversary, marking a successful initiative in organics diversion. This collaborative effort involves the community, including residents, businesses, the County of SLO (local government), the local waste hauler (Waste Connections), and the State of California (State government). Together, they are facilitating the diversion of organic waste from landfills, converting it into renewable energy, nutrient-rich liquid soil fertilizer, and an organic compost that benefits the local electrical grid and surrounding agriculture.

Heath Jones, North American president and managing director of HZI, highlights the company’s role in waste management: “At HZI, we see waste as a valuable resource and recognize the increasing state and federal incentives for organics diversion from landfills. Traditional composting, while common, has significant drawbacks like not capturing any potential energy, odor, and lack of methane and greenhouse gas capture. In contrast, anaerobic digestion, when done properly, captures the potential energy of the organics, captures methane and other greenhouse gases, controls odors, and produces a nutrient rich soil amendment to benefit agriculture.”

The Kompogas SLO plant is recognized as one of the most advanced plants in the US. The facility employs HZI's integrated resource recovery solutions to transform waste into a valuable resource. The cutting-edge technology of anaerobic digestion efficiently turns organic waste into clean reliable renewable energy.

Effective measures are in place to contain odor and emissions that promote seamless integration into the surrounding neighborhood and broader community. The process of converting waste into a resource actively involves and garners support from the community, demonstrating a sustainable waste management approach

Navigating Regulatory Pressures and Rising Costs

Businesses in the food and beverage industry face significant challenges in waste management due to regulatory pressure for sustainable disposal, rising costs, and logistical issues. Large producers generate massive amounts of waste annually, prompting the need for effective solutions. Public perception adds to the challenge, with businesses being viewed as polluters in today's climate-conscious society.

The Kompogas SLO plant is one of HZI’s solutions that addresses these issues for large manufacturers. It converts organic waste byproduct into renewable energy, powering both the facility and the local grid. The remaining product is transformed into fossil fuel-free, nutrient-rich liquid soil amendment and compost.

This circular economy approach reduces operating costs, cuts carbon emissions, and turns waste into a resource. The end products benefit the surrounding land, providing nutrients for agriculture or generating an additional revenue stream. In essence, it offers a comprehensive solution, creating a closed loop that transforms a waste problem into a sustainable, eco-friendly resource cycle.

  • At HZI, we see waste as a valuable resource and recognize the increasing state and federal incentives for organics diversion from landfills

Converting Spent Stillage into Renewable Carbon-Negative Natural Gas

Owing to the effectiveness of the Kompogas SLO onsite solution, HZI has emerged as a key technology provider for the Booker Noe distillery RNG project, supporting 3 Rivers Energy and ultimately Beam Suntory’s expansion in Boston, Kentucky. HZI's comprehensive solution includes digestion, gas cleaning, and compression technology, along with engineering, procurement, and construction. The aim is to convert spent stillage into renewable carbon-negative natural gas, supplying energy to the distillery.

HZI's digesters will yield a carbon-negative, fossil fuel-free byproduct, utilized in fertilizer production by 3 Rivers Energy. In 2025, the distillery targets 65 percent RNG-powered operations, resulting in a 50 percent reduction in onsite greenhouse gas emissions. This project showcases a sustainable and innovative approach, aligning with environmental goals and contributing to the distillery's expansion.

A part of the Swiss-Japanese HZI Group, a global clean technology leader, HZI North America operates in Knoxville (TN), San Luis Obispo (CA), and Montreal (Canada). It specializes in project development, technology supply, and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services. Its turnkey plants and integrated resource recovery solutions focus on capturing energy and greenhouse gases from waste.

With a track record of over 1500 projects worldwide, HZI is committed to advancing circular economy solutions and sustainable waste management practices. It stands as a beacon of global leadership in clean technology, ushering in a new era of integrated resource recovery and circular economy solutions derived from waste.

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Company
Kompogas SLO

Management
Heath Jones, North American President and Managing Director

Description
Kompogas SLO, a flagship project by Hitachi Zosen Inova, is a cutting-edge waste management facility located in San Luis Obispo County, California. Celebrating 5 years of successful operation, it stands as a leading example of effective organics diversion. Leveraging innovative technologies, Kompogas SLO transforms organic waste into renewable energy and nutrient-rich compost, contributing to a sustainable circular economy. The community-driven initiative has garnered widespread support from residents, businesses, and local governments, showcasing a commitment to environmentally conscious waste management practices.

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