Anaerobic Biodigester Project

Anaerobic Biodigester

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has received approval from the Oshkosh Common Council to build the first dry fermentation anaerobic biodigesters in the nation, which will convert yard and food waste into fuel. The project will be partially funded with a grant of $232,587 from Wisconsin Focus on Energy and a $500,000 grant from the federal government.

The renewable energy facility will include heat and power generators, which will produce up to 5 percent of the campus’s electricity and heating needs. The biodigester needs 6,000 tons of organic biowaste per year to provide 400 kilowatt output. The majority of the waste will be provided by campus and community sources with the remainder being supplied from other area partners. The plant will be located on Dempsey Trail, adjacent to the Witzel Avenue Campus Service Center, with construction beginning late this spring.