Viewing Grant Proposal: Ag-Grid Energy_Meadowbrook Dairy Farm RNG Project

The Meadowbrook Ag-Grid project (Project) is a dairy and food waste digester facility that will produce biogas. A portion of the biogas will be diverted to produce electricity and heat to operate the system. The remainder of the biogas will be upgraded to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) that would be injected in the natural gas pipeline. This project is being developed and will be built at Meadowbrook dairy farm, Lake Odessa, Ionia County, Michigan. Public Act 87 of 2021 defines RNG as “a biogas that has been processed or upgraded to be interchangeable with conventional natural gas and to meet pipeline quality standards or transportation fuel grade requirements.” RNG is also considered a ‘drop-in’ fuel, meaning it can displace conventional natural gas in end uses including space heating, industrial applications, transportation, and electricity production, without the need for customers to retrofit appliances or other equipment.
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Comments
Comment Date: Comment:
3/20/2024 6:05:22 PM
I strongly oppose this proposal and urge the MPSC not to award it a RE-EIED grant. Now is not the time to be investing in more biomethane or so-called “renewable natural gas.” A study recently found that methane emissions from gas operation venting and leaks are three times higher on average than the level previously predicted by the federal government. In light of this troubling development, we should reject gas-related proposals and instead be 100% focused on renewable energy, efficiency, battery storage, and electrification. Projects like this should not be a priority over true renewable energy and electrification projects. If you want to reduce methane emissions, efforts like composting and reducing meat consumption would be much more effective and direct than projects like this.
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4/1/2024 6:55:27 PM
This project, would in fact reduce and allow for circular reuse of the existing Methane emissions that are a natural by product of the animals on the farm. And I highly support this use case of its implementation. Although I individually would rather it's use be for liquid production of Methanol, this certainly deserves funding.
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4/8/2024 3:54:57 PM
These funds should be awarded to projects that are seeking to make significant decreases in GHG emissions through renewable energy, efficiency, battery storage, and electric technologies.
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4/12/2024 1:51:28 PM
Oxfam is a global organization that fights poverty and inequality. On behalf of our over 18,000 supporters in Michigan, we strongly oppose this proposal and urge the MPSC not to award it a RE-EIED grant. Energy efficiency and electricity generated from solar and wind power are cheaper and cleaner than any kind of gas. Investing in more gas rather than in true clean power sources is a waste. According to a Jan 2024 Food and Water Watch Report, “The Big Oil and Big Ag Ponzi Scheme: Factory Farm Biogas”: “...if digesters were installed at every dairy farm in the nation, they would not reduce the agricultural sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by even 25 percent. Partly because factory farm gas fails to address enteric fermentation, which contributes more to overall emissions than manure. Enteric fermentation occurs in the digestive systems of ruminants like cattle and produces methane as a by-product. This alone accounts for 27 percent of U.S. methane emissions.” As an organization that is dedicated to equality, we know that communities of color and low-income communities around the world face the most drastic impacts of climate change and have done the least to cause it. This project will not have a reduced climate impact. This project should be denied the grant, and state funding should instead go to projects with proven technologies to reduce greenhouse gases like energy efficiency and renewable energy.
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4/12/2024 3:16:49 PM
Please see SRAP's Comments and Exhibits in OPPOSITION in these links (and emailed to LARA-MPSC-RE-EIEDGRANT@michigan.gov on April 12, 2024) Comments - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TN2XAakgryIVU8Og02aB0TU5T3tE16FB/view?usp=drive_link Exhibits 1, 2 and 3 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/10IEjQpgEjWzDB0kG3NgshUClRZvePYHp/view?usp=drive_link
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