SMITHFIELD, Va., Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield
Foods, Inc., in partnership with Duke Energy and OptimaBio, LLC, is
now producing renewable natural gas (RNG) from the wastewater
treatment system at its Tar Heel,
N.C. pork processing facility, which will help power more
than 2,000 local homes and businesses. The three companies are
utilizing the world's largest pork processing facility to provide
renewable energy to consumers while reducing their own, and the
state of North Carolina's, carbon
footprint.
The $14 million project is the
latest from Smithfield Renewables, Smithfield's platform to unify and accelerate
its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 25% by 2025.
Through partnership with Duke Energy, roughly 140,000 dekatherms of
RNG per year will be transported to natural gas plants and used to
generate electricity for consumers.
"This project brings to life all three of our company's guiding
principles – Responsibility, Operational Excellence, and
Innovation," said Kenneth M.
Sullivan, president and chief executive officer for
Smithfield Foods. "For the first time, we are creating renewable
energy from the biogas generated in our wastewater treatment system
and using it to power local communities. With the help of our
partners, we are producing additional value for our company and our
neighbors—a concept that is ingrained in our culture."
To date, this is one of Smithfield's largest renewable energy projects
involving wastewater, and its first in North Carolina. Smithfield also has "wastewater-to-energy"
projects at its Milan, Mo.;
Grayson, Ky.; and Sioux Falls, S.D. facilities, which are used
to power their modified steam boilers.
The company's Tar Heel, N.C.,
project utilizes a gas upgrading and injection system operated by
OptimaBio, LLC, a bioenergy project developer, which leverages the
facility's three million gallon-per-day wastewater treatment system
to collect and clean biogas through an existing on-site digester
and convert it into RNG.
"We are proud to partner with Smithfield on this project, which has
far-reaching and positive impacts for the environment, the local
community, and industries that are key to the state's economy,"
said Mark Maloney, CEO and Founder
at OptimaBio, LLC. "We're helping diversify and strengthen
North Carolina's renewable energy
portfolio through this endeavor."
Once converted, the RNG is injected into the Piedmont Natural
Gas system, and then transported to Duke Energy to produce
electricity. This project will help Duke Energy satisfy state swine
waste-to-energy mandates under the Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Portfolio Standard law in North Carolina. Under this law, Duke Energy
must generate 0.20% of its retail sales from swine waste by
2024.
"At Duke Energy, we are seeking innovative and cleaner energy
solutions. Buying the output from Smithfield's renewable natural gas project
will allow us to expand our diverse generation mix in North Carolina," said Stephen De May, Duke Energy's North Carolina president. "This project is
creating safe and affordable energy that customers can rely
on."
In addition to creating renewable energy at its facilities,
Smithfield is implementing
projects on its farms that transform manure into RNG. These
projects capture methane from manure, and clean and convert it into
RNG, which is then injected into local natural gas distribution
systems for homes and businesses. In the next decade, Smithfield is implementing "manure-to-energy"
projects in at least six states including Arizona, California, Missouri, North
Carolina, Utah, and
Virginia.
Whether using biogas to power its facilities or nearby
communities, these programs are part of Smithfield's robust sustainability program. To
learn more, visit smithfieldfoods.com/sustainability.
About Smithfield Foods
Headquartered in Smithfield, Va., since 1936, Smithfield Foods,
Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a
global reach. Our 40,000 U.S. employees are dedicated to producing
"Good food. Responsibly.®" and have made us one of the
world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have
pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades,
including many industry firsts, such as our ambitious commitment to
cut our carbon impact by 25 percent by 2025. We believe in the
power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds
of millions of food servings to our neighbors in need. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality
iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich®,
and Nathan's Famous®, among many others. For more
information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About Smithfield Renewables
Smithfield Renewables is a
strategic platform within Smithfield Foods, a $15 billion global food company, and the world's
largest hog producer and pork processor. Smithfield launched this platform in 2017 to
lead, unify, and accelerate the company's renewable energy efforts
to help meet its industry-leading goal to reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions 25% by 2025—the first commitment of its kind by a
protein company. To achieve this goal, Smithfield has implemented a wide range of
projects across its farms and facilities, including converting hog
manure into renewable natural gas and commercial-grade fertilizer,
streamlining its transportation network, launching an ambitious
solid waste reduction plan, sourcing sustainably grown feed grain,
and implementing operational efficiency projects. For more
information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com/renewables.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150
company headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the
U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating
capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities and
3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables
unit.
Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience,
modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and
expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy
future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric
Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve
approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states –
North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities
and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6
million customers in five states – North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit
operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as
well as energy storage and microgrid projects.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired
Companies" list and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list.
More information about the company is available
at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News
Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and
other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features
stories about people, innovations, community topics and
environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy
on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
OptimaBio
Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,
OptimaBio is a swine waste-to-energy project developer, owner and
operator and the leader in RNG development for North Carolina.
It's a partnership bringing together experts in bioenergy,
agriculture, project finance, and environmental stewardship to
invest in rural communities for the greater
good. pig.energy
Contact
Information:
Lisa
Martin
Smithfield Foods,
Inc.
(757)
365-1980
lvmartin@smithfield.com
Randy
Wheeless
Duke Energy
(704) 382-8379
Randy.wheeless@duke-energy.com
Mark
Maloney
OptimaBio
(910) 632-0752
mark@pig.energy.com
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SOURCE Duke Energy; Smithfield Foods, Inc.; OptimaBio