With assistance provided by a CT DEEP/ U.S. DOE SEP Grant, CT RC&D started the first compost heat recovery pilot project at Collins Farm in Enfield, CT. This innovative project works to recover energy and heat from composted material while also reducing or eliminating pollutants from composting manure from adjacent streams and watersheds. The project also seeks to explore the economic value and potential for affordably replicating the process on other Connecticut farms.

The technology used in this project is a Hot Skid 250R manufactured by AgriLab Technologies. The Compost Hot Skid 250R is a mobile plug and play compost aeration, heat recovery and exhaust recirculation system featuring Agrilab Inside™ technology designed for negatively aerated or enclosed composting systems on small to medium scale farms.

It includes remote data monitoring, computerized controls and hot water and condensate recirculation systems. Aeration exhaust can be automatically vented back into the compost to manage moisture and heat retention. Everything was assembled on a steel pallet skid for easy setup in a shed at Collins Farm. Data captured is used to increase profits through optimizing compost production volumes and quality. System documents temperature and oxygen level tracking to meet “PFRP” quality regulations and maximize renewable thermal energy capture.

This system will recover heat from compost for agricultural use in the Collin’s dairy operation as an energy source while producing a compost product that is reduced in volume by 50% and is more nutrient stable with regards to nitrogen and phosphorus. The compost product will be more fertile while reducing trucking costs and can be spread on fields with currently used industry equipment. Alternatively, the compost product will be sold off thus reducing nutrient management load on the farm and creating a value-added income.