California company coverts onion waste into electricity

A number of products have been used in attempts to generate a renewable energy source, and a California company may be the first to use onions to do so.

Gills Onions, a processor of fresh onions in the United States, introduced its anaerobic digester system at its Oxnard, California location. The system turns 100 per cent of the company's onion waste and juice into electricity, heat and cattle feed. Gills uses 300,000 pounds of onion waste each day. The system produces enough electricity to power 460 average homes, storing it in two 300 kilowatt fuel cells. It's estimated that the system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30,000 tons per year and will save Gills $700,000 annually in electricity costs. Due to installing this system, Gills Onions will receive $2.7 million from Southern California Gas Company as part of a state program to encourage on-site electrical generation for businesses. Gills Onions generates 1.5 million pounds of onion waste per week. It is all converted into energy and high value cattle feed through their Advanced Energy Recovery System - providing enough electricity to power 460 homes annually.