Case Study
Emerald Dairy — Emerald, WI
Covered lagoon digester with enclosed flare at Emerald Dairy's 3,200-head Wisconsin operation, engineered for extreme cold and heavy snow loads.
The Challenge
Problem
Emerald Dairy's 3,200-head operation in western Wisconsin needed a manure management solution that would reduce methane emissions and comply with Wisconsin DATCP nutrient management requirements. The site's location in St. Croix County presented severe cold climate challenges — winter temperatures regularly drop below -20°F and snow loads can exceed 40 lbs/SF. Previous digester cover failures at nearby Wisconsin dairies had made operators cautious about cold-weather CLD systems.
Our Approach
Solution
EFI installed a covered lagoon digester with reinforced HDPE geomembrane engineered specifically for Wisconsin's extreme cold. The cover design includes enhanced snow load capacity, freeze-thaw-resistant anchor trenches, and heated gas collection headers to prevent condensate freezing. An enclosed flare destroys captured methane with continuous monitoring through Wisconsin's DATCP-compliant data logging system.
Outcomes
Results & Metrics
Key Outcomes
- 12,000+ tCO2e destroyed annually
- Engineered for -20°F and 40 lb/SF snow loads
- Zero cover failures through 3 Wisconsin winters
- Wisconsin DATCP nutrient management compliance
- Heated gas headers prevent condensate freezing
- Enclosed flare with 99%+ destruction efficiency
“Every dairy farmer in Wisconsin has heard horror stories about digester covers collapsing under snow. Three winters in and ours hasn't budged. EFI knows how to build for real cold.”
Dairy Owner, Emerald Dairy
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