Fueling the Future: Virginia Family Dairy Powers Biopharma

The Oakmulgee Dairy Farm in Virginia, the state’s oldest continuously operating family-owned dairy, is pioneering an innovative renewable energy project by partnering with Vanguard Renewables.

This project marks Vanguard’s first in Virginia and introduces a unique approach to energy production by combining manure and food/beverage waste—specifically liquid wine byproducts from Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery—within an anaerobic digester.

Bohler’s Richmond team is leading the land surveying, site civil engineering design, and permitting for the project.

From Farm to Fuel

The digester captures methane emissions produced during the breakdown of organic waste and upgrades the gas onsite. Instead of burning it for electricity or feeding it into the local grid, the renewable natural gas will be piped via existing infrastructure to AstraZeneca’s biopharmaceutical facilities in Maryland, helping the company achieve its renewable energy goals by 2026. This process not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also diverts more than 105,000 tons of food and beverage waste annually from landfills, addressing two major sources of methane emissions.

Providing Economic Stability

For Oakmulgee, a smaller operation milking 330 cows, the project provides critical economic stability. Vanguard pays the farm a steady income by leasing underutilized land for the digester under a 20-year contract, reducing reliance on fluctuating milk prices. Additionally, the digestate—a nutrient-rich byproduct—can replace commercial fertilizers, saving costs and improving nutrient management on the farm’s crop fields. The drier solids left after digestion can also be reused as clean, odorless bedding for barns.

The partnership showcases how smaller dairy farms can benefit from renewable energy innovations, creating a sustainable model that supports economic growth, reduces waste, and promotes environmental responsibility. The project demonstrates how collaboration between agriculture, food production, and industry can transform waste streams into valuable renewable energy, benefiting local economies and global sustainability efforts.

Learn more about these innovative approaches in the Bay Journal and at Vanguard Renewables.