Possibly Best Earth Day Contribution Ever: UC Davis Unveils Campus Food-Waste-to-Energy Converter

UC Davis is officially opening its "Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester" in a ceremony coinciding with Tuesday Earth Day -- April 22.

Designed in a public-private partnership, the system converts organic waste -- like food scraps -- from campus and other sources into clean energy for the campus electrical grid. 

The anaerobic digestion technology used in the facility was invented by UC Davis professor Ruihong Zhang and licensed to Sacramento-based CleanWorld, and encompasses the university's goals of sustainability, renewable energy and reduced carbon emissions.  

The facility will generate up to 5.6 million kWh of renewable electricity, divert 20,000 tons of organic waste from local landfills annually, reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions, and produce fertilizer and soil amendments, officials said. 

The UC Davis biodigester is CleanWorld's third commercial facility to open in less than two years and is the first of its kind on a university campus.

The facility's launch ceremony is Tuesday at 10 a.m. and will feature Congressman John Garamendi, UC Davis and CleanWorld staff and inventor Zhang.