Fueling the Future: Dickinson College Farm Receives $20K Grant for Sustainable Digester Project

Dickinson College Farm has secured a significant $20,000 grant to bolster its anaerobic digester project, aimed at converting food waste and manure into renewable energy. The ongoing construction of the digester served as the backdrop for the announcement of the 2023 Healing the Planet community improvement grants, a collaboration between the GIANT Company and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Among the 23 grant-winning projects that focus on food waste prevention, reduction, and recovery, the Dickinson digester stands out as a pioneering endeavor.

The anaerobic digester is set to transform food waste and manure into biogas, a versatile energy source for cooking, heating, and electricity generation. Since 2008, Dickinson has been diverting food waste from landfills to the farm through their composting project, while also experimenting with small-scale biogas digesters. Building upon this foundation, the farm-scale digester project was initiated in 2020 in partnership with neighboring Triple L Farm. With the capacity to process manure from 150 dairy cows and two tons of food waste daily, the digester will generate approximately 200,000 to 300,000 kWh per year of renewable electricity.

Matt Steiman, the farm's energy & livestock manager, expresses gratitude for the support received and emphasizes the far-reaching benefits of the food waste-to-energy initiative. In addition to powering the farm's operations, the project will serve as a model for midsize dairy farms nationwide and offer educational and research opportunities. Dickinson aims to collaborate with students, professors, farmers, and school groups to study and share insights on the biogas production process.

The farm invites Cumberland Valley institutions and businesses interested in recycling their food waste to join as community partners. Through this groundbreaking project, Dickinson College Farm continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and innovation, having already secured over $1 million in funding from various organizations and agencies.

For more information on food waste diversion partnerships, interested parties can email farm@dickinson.edu. Embrace the transformative potential of sustainable energy and join Dickinson in revolutionizing the future of farming.

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