Quasar's first anaerobic digestion system was built in Akron, Ohio and processes one-third of the City's biosolids. quasar is currently building an ecoFARMsystem 825 in Zanesville. The project achieved significant recognition in 2008, when it was awarded the nation's largest grant and guaranteed loan by the United States Department of Agriculture – Renewable Energy for America Program. quasar's flagship facility is also under construction in Wooster, and plans are underway to build another facility in Columbus in 2010.
In 2009, quasar began construction on its flagship ecoFarmsystem 550 in the BioHio Research Park on The Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OSU-OARDC) campus in Wooster. This initiative joins quasar, OSU-OARDC, the Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center, the United States Department of Agriculture, The Ohio Department of Development, The Ohio State University – Agricultural Technical Institute, the Wayne County Economic Development Council, the City of Wooster, and the BioHio Advisory Council.
The 550 system will process regional food waste and crop residuals as well as grass and manure from on-campus farm operations to produce clean, renewable energy and valuable byproducts. When completed, this system will have capacity to produce 450kW of electricity and the ability to supply one-third of the Wooster campus' energy needs.
Recently, quasar was awarded a $2 million grant through the Ohio Department of Development's Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program to commercialize a patent-pending anaerobic digestion technology developed at OSU. This grant is the catalyst for helping quasar build a new service and manufacturing industry, while bringing new green collar jobs to Ohio.
For more information, visit http://www.schmackbioenergy.com/.