Demonstrating a High Temperature Solar Thermal System at the CDI Visalia Dairy Processing Facility
This project will implement an emerging solar thermal technology to reduce GHG emissions at a large dairy processing facility.
California Dairies, Inc.
Recipient
Visalia, CA
Recipient Location
12th
Senate District
32nd
Assembly District
$3,002,818
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
The Issue
California produces approximately 40 billion pounds of milk annually which is nearly 20 percent of milk in the U.S. Over 80 percent of this milk is used to produce dairy products such as ice cream, butter, dried milk, and cheese. Processing of milk into dairy products is an energy intensive process requiring large amounts of heat, typically provided by burning natural gas. Supplementing heat required for thermal processes with solar thermal energy could significantly reduce natural gas consumption and GHG emissions in dairy processing industries. However, there is a lack of successful, high-temperature demonstrations of solar thermal energy systems in dairy processing facilities.
Project Innovation
The purpose of this project is to design, install, and operate a high-temperature solar thermal energy system at the Recipient's dairy processing facility. This system will convert solar energy into supplemental heat for thermal processes resulting in reduced natural gas consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Natural gas consumption will be measured before and after the system is installed in order to quantify and validate the GHG emission reduction.
Project Benefits
This project will result in GHG and criteria pollutant emission reductions by using solar thermal energy to offset natural gas consumption at the facility.
Environmental Sustainability
This project is expected to reduce GHG emissions by approximately 400 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year and nitrogen oxide emissions by approximately 400 pounds per year.
Subrecipients
Skyven Technologies, Inc.
Match Partners
Skyven Technologies, Inc.
