Delft Blue Veal Inc. – 2120 Clyde Road, Cambridge, Ontario

Owner: Founded over 35 years ago by Jerry Bartelse, Delft Blue Veal Farms is a division of Grober Inc. Delft Blue is a principal national supplier of fresh, frozen, and fully cooked portioned veal and other value added meat products for Canada’s top foodservice and retail customers.

Farm background: Delft Blue Veal Farms produces high quality milk fed calves. Over an 18-week period these animals are fed a human food grade diet and grow from 100 pounds to over 500 pounds. With 2,700 calves, the farm’s large operation embarked its anaerobic digestion project for a number of economic and environmentally sustainable reasons.

Biogas System: The calf manure is the main input for one 1,750 m3 anaerobic digester along with discarded organic residuals provided by several food processing companies. The mixture is fed into the digester and produces up to 65% methane which runs one 140 kW MAN engine generator and a 359 kW genset, up to 24 hours/day to produce 499 kW of electricity to sell to the grid. The engines also produce hot water for use on the farm as part of their improved animal husbandry program. It is predicted that Delft Blue Farm’s cogeneration unit will produce enough electricity to power 500 homes 24 hours, 7 days a week, while reducing the farm’s fossil fuel consumption by 80%.

Biogas Benefits to the Farms: The implementation of the biogas system at Delft Blue Farms was critical for the management of its 2,700 calves or 17,739,000 litres of manure annually . The biogas system allowed for the removal of manure below the calves for better air quality (eliminating the need for electrical fans to evacuate odours). Fresh manure input into the digester provides better solids content to improve the Renewable Natural Gas production. In addition, the daily scraping of manure from the floors below the calves, extends the life of the concrete, thus sustainably elongates the life of the barn. The daily removal also improved the quality of the work environment and reduced stress for farm workers. The hot water produced by the two engines provides heat to the digester and other heat loads in the biogas plant. In addition, hot water is used in the barns to reduce the amount of fossil fuel purchased for heating and process demands. The farm is reducing its dependence on fossil fuels to 80%, selling surplus electricity generated to the grid thus creating a viable business enterprise that will have electricity sales as its baseline revenue. Output content produces land nutrients (digestate) and animal bedding for the calves.

Broader Societal Benefits: The biogas system has enabled the farm to significantly reduce its carbon footprint through the use of biogas to offset fossil fuel consumption, the capture of GHG, and the application of nutrient enriched digestate in lieu of commercial fertilizers for crops. Organic materials such as calf manure are treated through the AD process providing added protection to our surface and groundwater sources.

FIT Program Benefits: For Delft Blue, a reliable supply of electricity is sold under the FIT program to the OPA generating income for the farm. Jobs were created in Ontario retaining PlanET Biogas Solutions, Martin Machinery, among others, during construction and throughout operations. The marketability of veal, being that it is produced with the lowest carbon footprint, has opened up significantly to larger retailers at market value to consumers.

Future Opportunities: Delft Blue is a leader in its field promoting sustainability and innovation on farm. The biogas system has been an integral part of their growth. Delft Blue continues to work on uses for the digestate produced including, reclaimation of marginal lands using waste straw, hay and other post harvest cellulose based vegetation covered with liquid digestate and seeded immediately. This land in turn is able to grow vegetables/crops, sequester carbon, and add value back to the economy. Delft Blue Veal biogas system has acted as an educational resource in anaerobic digestion and project implementation for the public at large, particularly to other veal farms considering anaerobic digestion.

Contact: Ross Blaine – rblaine@grober.com
415 Dobbie Dr., Cambridge, ON, N1T 1S9
tel (519) 622-2500 x213
cell (519) 716-7677

Courtesy of

275 Slater Street, Suite 900, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5H9
tel (613) 822-1004
website www.apao.ca
email exec_coord@apao.ca

The Biogas Process

Click here to view large version of the Biogas process to match numbers with text below

1. Liquid manure is produced by the farm’s veal calves. All manure is automatically pumped directly into the digester at frequent intervals throughout the day.
2. Fats, oils and greases (FOG) from off-farm sources are delivered to the biogas plant for digestion. Digesting these products in a biogas plant diverts these organic wastes from landfills.
3. The off-farm waste is pasteurized at 7a °G for one hour to remove all pathogens from the liquid in compliance with the Ministry of Environment regulations.
4. Solid waste is fed into the digester via a PlanET Dry Feeder. The feeder is loaded once a day and is automatically fed into the digester at even intervals throughout the day.
5. The anaerobic digester is the heart of the system. All inputs processed in this 2,-100 m3 concrete digester at38°C. In the absence of oxygen, bacteria from the manure break down the organic matter and convert it to biogas, very similar to what occurs in a cow’s stomach. The digester is continually stirred by way of submersible mixers to ensure an efficient biological process.
6. An automatic flare ensures that all excess biogas that is not consumed by the engines is destroyed in an environmentally acceptable manner.
7. Two MAN engines burn the biogas to produce 499 kW of electrical energy for resale to the local electricity grid. The engines, packaged by Martin Machinery, are specifically designed for burning biogas. In addition to electricity production, these two engines produce hot water used for heating purposes.
8. Electricity produced by the biogas engines is distributed to the local electricity grid. Electricity is sold to the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) under the province’s new Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program. Protection devices are installed to ensure consistent, safe generation of electricity.
9. In addition to biogas, the anaerobic digester produces digestate as an end-product. Digestate is a high-value  fertilizer that can be used for land application for crops, golf course fertilizers, or straw bale gardens.
10. Hot water generated by the biogas engines is captured and used to provide heat to the digester and other heat loads in the biogas plant. In addition, hot water is used in the barns to reduce the amount of fossil fuel purchased for heating and process demands.

Delft Blue Veal is continuing to work on uses for the Digestate produced by the Biogas process

Anaerobic Digesters – Reuse -Recycle -Reduce – Reclamation

• Anaerobic Digesters solve a major issue for the current government and they are not even aware of it.
• Anaerobic Digesters are the only major agri-based initiative that reduces green house gases associated with farming.
• Anaerobic Digesters REUSE farming, food processing and waste produce to produce stable power.
• Anaerobic Digesters RECYCLE by producing land nutrients and recyclable animal bedding thus having a significant LCA impact.
• Anaerobic Digesters REDUCE the cost of power production and the need for fertilizers. Anaerobic Digesters reduce the risk of pollution due to land spreading of manure…remember Walkerton
• Anaerobic Digesters add a fourth R to the three Rs. That is RECLAMATION, using waste straw, hay and other post harvest cellulose based vegetation we can mix our compost with this foraged leftover, cover it in AD liquor and seed immediately… after a few years you now have land capable of sustaining some vegetable crops and these become agents for Carbon Sequestration We have RECLAIMED poorly performing land and added income to our pummeled economy.

This process means we (Anaerobic Digester operators) have provided the current government with it’s first and only tool to deliver the Green Act to agriculture and any future government cannot refute this claim.

Now we a positioned to give the right story… it is not about electricity rates… it is about support to get the AD industry growing and going and the BTW providing dependable power to the grid and later biomass crops that will feed the revamped coal fired plants. They are not closing coal fired plants they are firing them with something else.

Let’s get our story compiled and consolidated then lets start lobbying. Yes, we need to tell our story but we had better put a new version of it out; rather than crapping on the current government, dumping on the OPA…either we are part of the problem or part of the solution and all governments want solutions to brag about and not issues to perturb them.

In end Anaerobic Digesters are providing a comprehensive solution to the Green Act that will be engaged by all political strips.

“Thus the wise win before they fight…while the ignorant fight to Win”

Ross Blaine  – ( anaerobic digesters )

I thought that this time I would go into a little more detail so that maybe you could better understand this data.  I realize that to someone who doesn’t work with a digester on a day to day basis, this data collection may look like just a bunch of numbers and squiggly lines on a graph.  Some of this info may be old news to some of you.

I’ll start by explaining “Gas Quality”.   The gas quality is checked daily for the following contents:

CH4- Methane  (%)

• Average for biogas 55-60 %, as you can see, our gas quality is above average.  What does this mean? Better fuel quality = more kW output per m3 of biogas.  With 55-60 % CH4, the typical output would be 2 kW/m3, our output is 2.2 kW/m3.  What caused the increase in gas quality?  After the ORRS waste was introduced on Oct 3 there was a increase in gas quality.

CO2- Carbon Dioxide (%)

• Average for biogas 30-40 %.  We have a low CO2 content and I believe it is due to the fact our CH4 is higher than average.  The CH4 and CO2 usually balance out close to 100% when added together.  The higher the CH4 content drives down the CO2, and vice versa.

O2- Oxygen (%)

• Norm 0.5-1 %.  Now it may sound counterproductive to add oxygen into an anaerobic digester, but it does serve a purpose.   The biological desulphurization bacteria that grow on the surface of the wooden “roof” inside the digester require a small amount oxygen.  What they do is take the H2S in the gas and break it into sulphur (S), which sticks to the wood, and water (H2O).

NH3- Ammonia (ppm)

• The presence ammonia in biogas usually is an indicator that the pH level in the digester is too high also the retention time may be too short. NH3 is not present I our gas at this time.

H2S- Hydrogen Sulfide (ppm)

• This is watched closely for a couple reason:

o   Higher H2S levels cause more wear and tear to the engine. (MAN engine requirements <200ppm)

o   Higher H2S levels decrease engine oil life time

o   Corrosive gas

• What causes H2S production?  The amount of H2S depends on the amount of sulphur in the feedstock and retention time.  Also I’ve noticed that when the digester is adjusting to a new feedstock there is an increase in H2S for a short while.
• How do you remove the gas? Biologically (as I explained earlier) and chemically with Ferric Chloride (FeCl3).  FeCl3 is a more complex process but the end result is the same, other than the fact it works quicker and more efficiently than biological removal.

Modifications in October and their impacts:

1.       Introduction of ORRS waste into digester.

a.       Increase in gas quality

b.      Increased gas quantity/kW output.

2.       Weaned off of the dairy manure.

a.       Decrease in operating cost

b.      Reduced H2S production (less FeCl3 needed to stay within engine specs)

3.       Increased overall feed rate:

a.       Additional increased gas production

Within the month of October we have more than double our gas output, and November is off to a great start.  Feel free to call if you have any questions.  I will include some information on the FOS/TAC and it’s importance in the next update.  That’s all for now.

[View with PicLens]

Click on above thumbnails to see full graphs for Biodigester for  – Input -Output – Fats Oils and Greases – Gas Quality

Aron Hamm

Feeding a Biodigester is the same a feeding an animal with a sensitive digestive tract. At the Delft Blue site we are challenged by using Milk Fed Veal Manure which is low in volatile solids (about 2.0%) and it is the solids that the microbes need to produce the gas. To enhance our solids content and our microbe colonies we have been adding liquid dairy manure (about 10% solids) from a local dairy but this is increasing our operating cost due to trucking.

To increase our solids from the veal manure we have implemented a new manure management program with the result being that our solids content has increase to 8%. The key steps that we are undertaking are:

1. When the manure enters the holding tank from which it is pumped underground to the digester, we allow it to settle and then remove the water to a separate holding tank. BTW we then use the decanted manure water to wash out our open concept housing when we do our regular cleaning.
2. When a open concept housing unit is vacated we take the decanted water and using the pumping system on tanker flush all manure out from under the floor. This creates more solids in the digester and more importantly improves the environment inside the concept housing unit for the new herd that will come in.
3. Aron Hamm (Biodigester Manager) and Piet Zeeman (Farm Manager) have developed a new manure management protocols for our group and individual housing units. In both these cases we are having staff clean the manure runoff troughs weekly. As well in our new group housing units to which are converting our older barns to we are putting in a below the floor scraper system that will move the manure daily thus providing an improved environment for the animals, less ammonia coming out of the barns and yes most importantly increased fresh solids to the digester.

We have now stabilized our gas production at 64% methane using veal and dairy solids and this combination is creating enough gas to run the 180kwh engine 9 to 11 hours per day. Now the new feeding regimen is being enacted under this process we will start to add organic wastes from grocery stores (ORRS) and wean the digester of diary manure. We receive a tipping fee for the ORRs and over the next two weeks we will increase the solids content of the ORRs to about 20%.

Once the digester’s system is stabilized on our manure, weaned off of dairy manure and maximized its gas output with ORRS we will then enhance the feedstock by adding to the mixture another waste product Fats, Oils and Greases (FOG) from those grungy grease traps found in restaurants and other food preparation facilities. FOG had previously been sent to land fills but now Organic Resources Management Inc who also provides the ORRS will blend a FOG mixture which will ultimately have about 40% solids and will bring our gas production to a level that will allow use to run both our generators 24/7 and produce enough electricity to service 400 plus homes and enough heat to reduce the farms fossil fuel consumption by about 40%.

Yes at Grober and at our Delft Blue Veal Farm we have finally built a cycle that will take dairy industry byproducts (the bull calves) raise them in the most humane conditions in the meat industry, take their waste product manure and combine it with the food preparation industries waste products (ORS and FOG) and develop usable end products that reduce our fossil fuel needs, supply reliable power to the grid (solar and wind do not) and yes we even can use the Digestate from the Anerobic Digester to provide a pathogen free land nutrient that will reduce the need for chemical fertilizers.

Ross Blaine
Director of Innovation and Sustainability
The Grober Group of Companies

A commonly asked question around the Grober Group is “We have this protein or we know of this sugar based waste product, can you use it in the Biodigester”?

The answer is most often “no”.

Why because a Biodigester functions just like an oversized cow’s stomach. The microbes that consume the nutrients in the digester originated in the cows stomach so if you don’t treat them as sensitively as you would the cow, then the potential for a system breakdown is likely. As with the cow you don’t change its diet radically and quickly, the cow must be weaned off one diet and slowly introduced to a new nutrient. As a rule of thumb a change over from one feedstock to another is slow…as much as 60 days to fully complete.

Other concerns include: “are there any antibiotics in the new feedstock”? If there is any potential for antibiotics or microbial disinfectants then we cannot take the nutrient because we will kill off the microbes and contaminate the 1900 m3 of substances in the Biodigester. Once contaminated, we are faced with a major problem that will take up to 6 months to rectify. The process to recover and reactivate the digester to full capacity entails the following steps:

1. The 1900 m3 of liquid in the digester has to be drained and spread on fields taking about 5 days
2. Depending on the severity of the contamination the inside might have to be cleaned or resealed, time about 5 days
3. The digester then has to be refilled with veal manure taking about 30 days
4. The digester contents have to be heated to 38.6 degrees Celsius including the additional cost of gas for the auxiliary boilers and taking up to 30 days depending on the outdoor ambient temperature
5. Once the veal manure is heated then we must start adding dairy manure to build up the microbe colony and this could take up to 60 days
6. When the veal and dairy manure is stabilized the organic waste produce from the grocery stores can be added to increase the gas output and this slow additive process could take up to 20 days.
7. Then the final step of adding the Fats, Oils and Greases which will ultimately bring the digester to full output which is done under optimal conditions would take another 30 days.

As you can see, one slip up can have a devastating impact resulting in Grober not producing power at full capacity for up to 26 weeks.

So the answer is really quite simply “NO” once we get the system fully functional and any new feedstock will have to meet very stringent review and once approved introduced very slowly.

Ross Blaine

At Delft Blue Veal Farms, we are proud that we take animals that are considered to be an unwanted result of diary production – bull calves and raise them in environments that are safe and comfortable.  They are grown to 500 pounds and when harvested produce the most wholesome meat a person can consume.  We support the dairy industry by paying for the bulls, by supplying them with dairy calf husbandry technologies and milk replacer that increases milk production.

Now we are using our manure to produce electricity for 500 homes, heat to comfort our animals and land nutrient products that is pathogen free.

The Biogas industry has the most potential to be a strong creator of new jobs in Ontario and more importantly the only renewable to directly preserve agri-jobs in Ontario. Right now, farmers and industrial agri-farming operations are being challenged by highly aggressive imports. Our dairy farmers are challenged to reduce their operating costs and to find secondary secure sources of revenues.

Biogas operations have a predictable impact on consistent power generation, positive force on carbon and greenhouse gas emission and most importantly, their byproducts can be used as organic land nutrients. Neither wind or solar eliminate methane and provide additional green by products. Each new biogas plant creates approximately $1,400,000 worth of jobs in its phase construction alone.

Benefits to Ontario

Biogas projects reduce organic materials dumped into landfill by 1,500 – 2,500 tonnes per year per project. Typical biogas projects between 100 kW – 500 kW, reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHG) by 1,000 – 3,000 tonnes per year. Anaerobic digestion projects reduce fossil fuel (natural gas) consumption by between 300,000 m3 – 500,000 m3 per year resulting in energy expenditures (electricity and natural gas) savings up to $500,000 per year, depending on project size.

Delft Blue Veal Biogas Presentation by Aron Hamm

BioGas TV from Grober Green

Our TV station aims to bring you the latest videos around the World concerning BioGas Digesters, from small home projects to industrial installations — check out all the innovations and possibilities

PlanET Biogas Solutions and are building the anaerobic digester for Grober and Delft Blue Veal.

This project is the first biogas plant that I have been deeply involved with and I am learning something new every day. There are many new concepts and technologies to learn as well as the new things to learn about the biogas market both in Ontario and around the world.

Although this will be my first blog post, I am hoping to continue to blog as the project nears completion! 

• The most recent development in the building of the biogas plant has been the installation of the biogas piping.
• The biogas is produced in the digester and is burned in a reciprocating, gas engine.
• To transport the gas from the top of the digester to the gas engine, the gas is moved through 6” PVC pipes underground. The gas is piped underground to cool the gas and remove any moisture that is contained in the gas.
• Because of the amount of gas produced in the digester at Delft Blue Veal, 2 gas lines have been used to transfer the gas.
• A spare gas line has also been put in place for future use. Please see pictures for a more detailed view of the biogas lines.

Matt Lensink – Application Manager -  PlanET Biogas Solutions Inc.