OWNERSHIP: Santa Barbara County, California USA
LOCATION: Goleta, California USA
PRODUCT: SG MOBILE® System with GORE® Cover
INPUT QUANTITY: 300 tons per day of digestate residuals
NO. OF SG MOBILE® SYSTEMS: 20 heaps, 20 covers, 82 ft x 26 ft x 11.5 ft each
TREATMENT TIME: Primary Phase for 21-28 days
AERATION: On-grade pipe
CONTROL PARAMETERS: Programmable Sequence Mode
INPUT MATERIAL: Anaerobic Digestate Residuals
EQUIPMENT: Conveyance System, Front End Loader, Mobile & Stationary Screening
END PRODUCT: High-Quality Finished Compost
Project Overview
In 2022, the Anaerobic Digester Facility (ADF) owned by Santa Barbara County commenced operations to produce renewable energy from the organics fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), which has been processed and recovered at their MRF located at the County's Tijiguas Landfill. In the ADF, these organics underwent a 28-day digestion process, during which 50% were cycled back to the beginning of the process. The remaining 50% were directed to an open windrow process for supplementary composting. The ultimate goal was to refine the digestate residuals into premium-quality, salable compost. Due to site constraints concerning odor containment, stormwater management, and litter control linked with open windrow composting methods, management needed to retrofit the open windrow operation with technology that would eliminate odors and increase process control. With odor reduction being the most pressing issue, our solution, Sustainable Generation's Advanced Composting™ Technology featuring the SG MOBILE® System with GORE® Cover, known to reduce odors by greater than 95%, was selected for a pilot study.
During a side-by-side technology evaluation, SBC compared The SG Mobile® System with GORE® Covers against the existing open windrow technology. Additionally, a separate composting vendor set up a pilot system adjacent to the SG pilot but could not perform and meet the demonstration requirements. Ultimately, SBC selected Sustainable Generation's solution to meet the performance objectives. In addition to solving the odor issue, our system is part of the solution to the site's stormwater issue, providing clear separation of stormwater from leachate. During the cost analysis portion of the study, any competing technology would require a roofed solution over the entire compost operation at a tremendous cost. This comparison highlights the cost-effectiveness and superior environmental control of our technology.
Pilot Study
In February 2023, Sustainable Generation delivered an SG MOBILE® System with a GORE® Cover demonstration unit. Within days of the delivery, the unit was powered up and began composting digestate. Multiple batches were run as part of the overall study to prove the objectives for:
Odor Mitigation
Stormwater Control
Litter Control
Mix Recipe
Compost Quality
Within 90 days from setup to tear down, Sustainable Generation performed multiple batch tests to determine the proper mix recipe and prove that the SG MOBILE ®System would eliminate odors, which included a third-party independent test for odors and VOC emission reduction compared to the existing open windrow process.
97.5% Odor Reduction
98% VOC Emission Control
Clear separation of stormwater from leachate during adverse weather events, including atmospheric rivers from the Pacific Ocean
PRFP temperatures were easily met (3 days at 131°F)
Stable and mature final compost
These outcomes validated the SG MOBILE® System's capabilities, proving its efficiency in transforming organic waste into high-quality compost while mitigating environmental impacts.
Full-Scale Implementation
In less than a year after initially engaging with Sustainable Generation®, SBC had its new full-scale 20-windrow SG MOBILE® System with GORE® Covers designed, constructed, commissioned, and operational. The site demonstrates a significantly improved environment, with effective litter control measures and reduced waste accumulation. Additionally, this system has dramatically reduced the ecological footprint while increasing productivity. Notable achievements include successfully resolving site challenges, reducing odor, and improving stormwater runoff control. As of July 2024, Santa Barbara County reports that odor issues associated with the composting process have been resolved.
This project marks Sustainable Generation’s quickest Public Project implementation, transitioning from a pilot to full-scale deployment in just ten months. Santa Barbara County officials played a crucial role in this success by swiftly removing roadblocks and making timely decisions. The rapid progress highlights the power of SG MOBILE® technology and our dedicated service team, demonstrating the impact of effective collaboration with a proactive project owner.
