Robbins Announces $375,000 Waste-to-Energy Grant for Mercer County Facility

Waste from Fairview Swiss Cheese and Joy Cone to fuel biogas generator.

Harrisburg – State Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) today announced the approval of a $350,000 state grant to convert waste from two Mercer County plants into energy.

Robbins said the grant will allow John Koller & Sons Inc. to construct an anaerobic digester to pre-treat whey and wastewater from its Fairview Swiss Cheese plant and batter waste from the Joy Cone Company of Hermitage. The digester will convert the waste into biogas to run a 120-killowatt generator at the cheese plant, replace fuel oil and reducing air pollution.

"This grant supports an innovative method of turning waste into energy in a way that does not hamper the productivity of the businesses involved," said Robbins. "It shows what can be accomplished when government stays away from mandates and instead helps support innovative solutions."

Biogas is a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and other gasses. The digester will produce 40 million cubic feet of biogas annually, Robbins said.

The grant is being made available through the Pennsylvania Energy Harvest Program, administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

CONTACT:

Mike Hengst
(717) 787-1322