Website:www.brighterenergy.org

quasar energy group has broken ground on a new 1MW biomass waste-to-energy project in Columbus, Ohio this week.

The project is Cleveland company quasar’s fourth such project in Ohio, using anaerobic digestion technology to turn city food waste into energy.

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman attended the ground breaking ceremony for the project on Monday.

The project, which is expected to create and retain 72 direct and indirect jobs, will process food waste collected by the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio.

It is designed to generate about 8,322 MWh of power each year, enough power to supply 725 Ohio homes.

“I believe in Ohio because the future of energy is happening right now, and it’s happening right here,” Governor Strickland said. “We are proud to have partnered with quasar through the Ohio Third Frontier Program, which is helping to make Ohio the home of alternative energy while creating new Ohio jobs that can’t be outsourced.”

Anaerobic digestion:

Anaerobic digestion involves microbacteria feeding on organic material, such as food waste, to produce a methane-rich biogas, which can be used to produce transport fuel or generate electricity and/or heat.

The process also produces a solid residue that can be used as a fertilizer. The material from the Columbus plant will be sold regionally by local firm Kurtz Bros.

quasar, which was known as Schmack BioEnergy until a name-change in November 2009, started up its first US anaerobic digestion facility in Akron, Ohio, in November 2007.

This latest project in Columbus has been supported by a $3.09 million loan through the Ohio Bipartisan Job Stimulus for Advanced Energy program. quasar has also received a $2 million investment from the Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program to help commercialize its anaerobic digestion technology.

“Today is an exciting day for Ohio,” said quasar President Mel Kurtz. “Today we are celebrating the result of collaborating to not only build a biogas facility, but to grow an industry.”

“This new bio-fuels plant will divert biodegradable wastes and convert it to green electricity,” said Mayor Coleman. “This project also is the latest in our efforts to clean up and, with our partners, redevelop brownfield areas.”