Moooving the needle with Carbon Emissions

Renewable Energy: A Brief Background

Renewable energy and Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) are terms that many have heard, but perhaps not everyone fully understands. At Cavanaugh, we’ve been actively involved in the advancement of RNG as a clean, renewable, and sustainable fuel for nearly 20 years, turning ideas into action. So, what exactly is RNG? Simply put, it’s a sustainable alternative to conventional natural gas, created by capturing and refining biogas from organic waste sources that would otherwise naturally decompose and emit greenhouse gases— animal manure, for example. The methane-rich biogas is collected, purified to remove impurities, and then injected into natural gas pipelines. Doing so eliminates an existing greenhouse gas emission and displaces an equivalent amount of fossil fuels, creating a far more significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions than many other forms of renewable energy. RNG offers significant benefits, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting a circular economy.

Pioneering Renewable Energy: How Cavanaugh Helped Transform Swine Waste into Sustainable Power

In 2006, Cavanaugh partnered with the Nicholas Institute at Duke University to develop a system for harnessing energy from swine manure.?What started as a discussion among Duke Energy, Duke University, Google, and Cavanaugh about greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, and sustaining North Carolina's farming industry evolved into a groundbreaking project – Loyd Ray Farms. This initiative successfully demonstrated that renewable energy can be produced from agricultural sources while supporting sustainable farming, and address the critical link between agriculture and climate change. Not to mention, at the time, Loyd Ray Farms was the first and only innovative swine waste system in North Carolina that generated Renewable Energy Credits for an electric utility. The success of the Loyd Ray Farms project prompted the development of a framework for producing and distributing renewable natural gas in addition to renewable electricity, which established the basis of design for many projects that followed.

The Full Circle Dairy RNG Facility: A Milestone in Sustainable Energy

For over three years now, Cavanaugh has been working with Chesapeake Utilities Corporation on the Full Circle Dairy project – a modern dairy farm located in rural Florida that produces more than 30,000 gallons of milk annually from more than 3000 cows. Cavanaugh served as the lead designer, engineer, and project manager for the anaerobic digester and RNG project. This innovative facility converts agricultural waste from dairy farming into clean, pipeline-quality RNG and will result in a reduction of over 1,100 metric tons of methane emissions (equivalent to over 27,000 metric tons of carbon) on an annual basis. To put this into perspective, achieving this level of carbon reduction is equivalent to taking 6,012 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for a full year. Florida State Representatives have shown their support for similar future projects as the active House Bill 821: Renewable Energy Cost Recovery authorizes public utilities, such as Chesapeake, to recover costs for renewable natural gas and hydrogen fuel projects.

The Dream Team

Cavanaugh is proud to have played a pivotal role in bringing this project to life by collaborating closely with Chesapeake Utilities Corporation and Full Circle Dairy. True to form for Cavanaugh and Chesapeake Utilities, the project includes several innovations and advancements in the anaerobic digestion of dairy manure, processing and distribution of renewable natural gas, and process efficiency.? True to name, Full Circle Dairy continues to advance the science of dairying, leaving nothing to waste and leading our efforts to produce our food more sustainably by example.

One of the many strengths of Cavanaugh is our blend of experience and fresh perspectives. With a collective 197 years(!!) of expertise, our team also benefits from the insights and energy of newer members who actively contributed to the success of the Full Circle Dairy project. Team members like Zach Baugher and Hunter Patrick spent countless hours on the farm, gaining invaluable hands-on experience.

Reflecting on the project, Hunter shared,

“As a newcomer not only to the Cavanaugh team but to the field of engineering as a whole, it’s amazing to see how everyone works together to transform a dairy farming operation into a fully operational RNG facility. Even better, I get to be part of it! What I consider the biggest highlight is how well the team works together—everyone has a role, and it’s truly a thing of beauty to watch such seamless collaboration.”

Zach added,

“Full Circle Dairy demonstrated the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, contractors, and coworkers. These relationships foster proactive problem-solving, which is crucial to driving projects like Full Circle Dairy to successful outcomes.”

Together, their experiences underscore how Cavanaugh combines expertise, teamwork, and innovative thinking to deliver impactful results.

Cavanaugh's journey in renewable energy exemplifies the power of collaboration, innovation, and commitment to sustainability—paving the way for transformative projects that not only reduce environmental impact but also set a standard for the future of sustainable energy solutions.

We are excited for the future – are you?