Dear Colleagues,
The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) 2019 Dairy Digester Research and Development Program Demonstration Projects is part of the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP). DDRDP is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.
The DDRDP Demonstration Projects will award competitive grant(s) to California dairy operations and digester developers for the implementation of dairy digester projects that demonstrate innovative technologies to achieve long-term methane emission reductions on California dairies and minimize or mitigate adverse environmental impacts. This program has been developed in response to the recommendations of the Subgroup #2: Fostering Markets for Digester Projects of the SB 1383 Dairy and Livestock Working Group. The Budget Act of 2018 (Chapter 30, Statutes of 2018) appropriated $99 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to CDFA for early and extra methane emissions reductions from dairy and livestock operations. Of this allocation, CDFA will make available up to $2 million for the 2019 DDRDP Demonstration Projects. CDFA will award a maximum grant amount of up to $2 million for a project. Matching funds are not required but strongly encouraged.
The 2019 DDRDP Demonstration Projects will support implementation of dairy digester projects on California dairy operations that result in permanent, annual, and measurable GHG emission reductions through innovative strategies for either methane production and capture, or methane destruction to generate renewable energy. Projects must either convert biomethane to renewable electricity or fuel (e.g., including but not limited to renewable natural gas [RNG] or renewable compressed natural gas [RCNG]), to use on-site or inject into an existing pipeline, for the utilization of useful energy at a neighboring facility or other innovative end-uses that generate renewable energy. Projects that propose flaring as the sole end-use for biogas will not be eligible for funding. At least 80% dry weight of the feedstock for anaerobic digestion must be manure from dairy livestock. Other substrates, such as dairy processing wastes including whey, or other agricultural waste, can be added to the feedstock to up to 20% dry weight. Applicants must provide details regarding the nature and sources of all co-substrates.
The DDRDP Demonstration Projects must propose new and innovative or pre-commercial strategies or technologies not currently funded under DDRDP guidelines. Proposed strategies can either apply to methane production and capture, or methane destruction processes, or both. Proposed strategies must result in permanent, long-term GHG reductions and maximize environmental co-benefits. Applicants must provide supporting information including published scientific research to support the methane reduction claims on dairy operations. The applicant must provide a life cycle analysis of manure and the by-products resulting from the proposed project. The proposed technologies must quantify GHG emission reductions. The project site must be located on a commercial California dairy operation. A dairy operation is defined as an entity that operates a dairy herd, which produces milk or cream commercially, and whose bulk milk or bulk cream is received or handled by any distributor, manufacturer, or any nonprofit cooperative association of dairy producers. Entities eligible to apply include California-based University researchers and academic experts, non-profit organizations, and private companies specializing in dairy manure management technologies in collaboration with California dairy operators, including Federal and California Recognized Native American Indian Tribes. Defunct digesters that were constructed in the past and have become entirely non-functional, or never became functional since their construction, due to technical or other (e.g., regulatory) issues are eligible for this program. Defunct digesters must be non-functional for a minimum of 12 consecutive months.
The maximum project term is two (2) years and grant funds cannot be expended before October 1, 2019 or after September 30, 2021.
If you are interested in applying for DDRDP funding, please submit an application to CDFA before the deadline of April 3, 2019. Please note that application guidelines and required documents are available at the following link:https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/ddrdp/DemoProject.html
Applications will be submitted via Financial Assistance Application Submittal Tool (FAAST) at https://faast.waterboards.ca.gov/
Please contact the Office of Contracts and Grants to request proposal development assistance.
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)