PCR Credit 4: Anaerobic Digestion Infrastructure (1-2 points)

Reciprocal 

Intent:

To develop infrastructure to provide optimized anaerobic breakdown of food waste and, if indicated, other organic material to produce gas, digestate and other useful products.

Local Government and Industry Requirements:

SMMP Performance Path

Tier 1: (1 point)

Demonstrate food waste reduction of at least 5% or CO2e reduction equivalent to 5% of food waste generated being anaerobically digested.

Tier 2: (1 point)

Demonstrate food waste reduction of at least 15% or CO2e reduction equivalent to 15% of food waste generated being anaerobically digested.

SMMP Prescriptive Path

Tier 1: (1 point)

Demonstrate operating capacity (centralized and/or distributed) to anaerobically digest 15 percent of the food waste generated. Demonstrate that 5 percent of food waste generated is being anaerobically digested. 

Tier 2: (1 point)

Demonstrate operating capacity (centralized and/or distributed) to anaerobically digest 25 percent of the food waste generated. Demonstrate that 15 percent of food waste generated is being anaerobically digested.

In all cases, demonstrate biogas processing and utilization infrastructure to utilize a minimum of 80% gas output of the facility.

Potential Strategies:

●      Create capacity to process the required volume of food waste using mesophilic or thermophilic anaerobic digestion equipment.

●      Include gas scrubbing and other processing equipment, such as compressors for use as transportation fuel or direct connection with combined heat and power generators or connection with existing gas transmission networks.

●  Utilization of wastewater treatment plant and/or farm-based infrastructure for anaerobic digestion.