Hitachi Zosen Inova Has Been Awarded a Major Renewable Natural Gas Project by 3 Rivers Energy Partners

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Hitachi Zosen Inova Has Been Awarded a Major Renewable Natural Gas Project by 3 Rivers Energy Partners

Hitachi Zosen Inova USA LLC in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, is set to build its innovative and sustainable waste-to-energy and renewable gas infrastructure for 3 Rivers Energy Partners.

Hitachi Zosen Inova USA LLC has entered into an agreement with 3 Rivers Energy Partners to design and construct a new anaerobic digestion plant, which will utilize spent stillage from the bourbon industry and turning waste into energy. In the future, the renewable natural gas produced will power an adjacent distillery, reducing the site’s carbon footprint and future greenhouse gas emissions.

Kentucky, USA:  Hitachi Zosen Inova USA LLC (HZI) is pleased to announce it has been contracted to design, supply and install an integrated renewable natural gas (RNG) plant consisting of a 648,000 gal/day Wet Anaerobic Digester (AD), Amine Biogas Upgrader System (BGU), and integrated process piping and controls for 3 Rivers Energy Partners.

The 3 Rivers Energy Partners owned and operated facility will utilize new Wet AD technology that will use spent stillage as the feedstock allowing the plant to turn waste into energy. The AD system will power an adjacent distillery with RNG, providing 65% of its gas needs. Importantly, the RNG facility will help to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 50%.

“When it came time to pick a partner to help us build one of the country’s largest renewable natural gas production and treatment facilities, we knew we needed a company with superior expertise and experience. Hitachi Zosen Inova was a clear choice for us,” said John Rivers, CEO of 3 Rivers Energy Partners.

HZI’s Sales Manager Joe Szczepkowski added: “HZI is very excited to execute what we anticipate will be one of many innovative renewable energy projects with 3 Rivers Energy Partners. Providing integrated energy recovery solutions from waste products is fundamentally what HZI does, and this supports our vision for the future.”

Once in operation this facility will produce approximately 2,700 SCFM (standard cubic feet per minute) of RNG to power the adjacent distillery. Finally, the by-product from the AD and RNG processes is the production of a fertilizer which can then be used in local agriculture.

The construction and later commissioning phases of the facility can now commence, with operations at the new AD and RNG facilities expected to start in December 2024. “Providing large-scale, innovative and integrated waste to renewable gas solutions to companies like 3 Rivers Energy Partners, highlights the confidence that iconic brands and developers have in HZI’s team and its capabilities in the US.” Said Heath Jones, HZI’s Managing Director for North America.

Proprietary state-of-the-art technologies
Plants like this facility are a vital step forwards to providing integrated resource recovery solutions.  By innovatively using stillage from distilleries as a feedstock, this effectively creates a localized circular economy in the surrounding area. Resource recovery, recycling and utilizing biogas technology play special roles in generating renewable energy, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over the long-term.   

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