Onion Bulb or Light Bulb?
Jul 17 - MARKETWIRE
In the new world of renewable energy, California onion bulbs now will power
light bulbs -- the common vegetable has transitioned from a simple food
stock to a mini-power plant.
Helping to make this transition possible is Gills Onions, the nation's
largest fresh onion processor, and developer of the onion juice-fueled
Advanced Energy Recovery System it will debut today at its Oxnard, Calif.,
headquarters, 1051 S. Pacific Avenue.
For installing the system, Gills Onions is eligible to receive $2.7 million
from Southern California Gas Co. (The Gas Company) as part of a state
program to encourage self-contained generation by businesses.
By extracting the juice from onion waste and letting it ferment in a special
processing system, Gills Onions can create enough electric "juice" to power
460 homes through two 300-kilowatt fuel cells. The innovative and
cost-saving technology converts 100 percent of 300,000 pounds of onion waste
daily into ultra-clean electrical energy, heat and high-value cattle feed,
reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 30,000 tons per year.
"California is proud to be the nation's leader in sustainability and also
home to the finest produce in the country," wrote Calif. Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger in a congratulatory letter to Gills Onions. "You not only
offer quality onions, but also use innovative techniques to reduce waste and
increase energy efficiency, making our state greener than ever."
"The project provides a model for how an agricultural and processing
operation can work towards a goal of zero waste, in terms of both materials
and energy," said Prab Sethi, project manager for the California Energy
Commission. "This project is an excellent example of outstanding
environmental achievement."
"It is very gratifying for Gills Onions to be recognized as a leader in
energy conservation after our years of research, and finally, success," said
Steven Gill, co-owner of Gills Onions. "We would like to recognize The Gas
Company's major role in achieving this success and being instrumental in
developing our relationship with the Gas Technology Institute and the
California Energy Commission. This collaboration helped us gain the
knowledge and confidence to move forward with the project and realize our
green energy vision."
"The state's self-generation program is designed to encourage exactly this
type of clean technology -- transforming an onion into a renewable power
source -- and we are proud to be part of the team that helped Gills Onions
turn this idea into reality," said Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer
solutions at The Gas Company. "We continually assist our customers in
evaluating the costs and benefits of using the latest in clean-energy
technology to generate power on-site and reduce the burden on the state's
power grid."
Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable
natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation's
largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy
to 20.5 million consumers through 5.7 million meters in more than 500
communities. The company's service territory encompasses approximately
20,000 square miles in diverse terrain throughout Central and Southern
California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. The Gas Company is a
regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE). Sempra Energy, based in
San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. For more
information, visit www.socalgas.com.
Gills Onions is a 25-year-old family-owned and -operated grower and food
processor devoted to achieving maximum levels of energy efficiency, waste
reduction and water conservation through sustainable business practices and
technology. For more information, visit www.gillsonions.com.
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Media Contacts: Raul Gordillo Southern California Gas Co. (877) 866-2066
Email Contact Nikki Rodoni Gills Onions (831) 771-0699
Email Contact
SOURCE: Southern California Gas Company
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