DTE Biomass wins award for Wisconsin waste-to-energy project

DTE Biomass Energy’s Calumet Renewable Natural Gas Project was named the 2019 “Project of the Year” in its category by the American Biogas Council (ABC).

The project is located in Newton, Wis., and features a dairy waste-to-energy renewable natural gas (RNG) processing plant and an interstate pipeline injection facility. It converts the methane that comes from cow manure into renewable natural gas and helps farms reduce their greenhouse gas footprint.

ABC recognized DTE “for the use of an innovative business model to manage dairy RNG through a virtual pipeline.” The facility processes raw biogas piped in from three nearby farms in Wisconsin into RNG. It also receives RNG trucked in from two other dairy farms. Then, the renewable natural gas is injected directly into the interstate pipeline and goes on to power compressed natural gas vehicles.

“Our Biomass team has been incredibly busy this year – not only have they started up our Calumet assets, but they also kicked off construction at four other dairy biogas projects across Wisconsin,” Mark Stiers, president and COO of DTE Power and Industrial, said. “I’m pleased their work has been recognized by ABC, a trade association championing the growth of the biogas industry.”

DTE Biomass Energy is a non-utility business of Detroit-based DTE Energy, which serves 2.2 million electric customers in Southeast Michigan and 1.3 million natural gas customers in Michigan.