MRWMD SMARTFERM AD System

The first of its kind in the United States, the SMARTFERM^® anaerobic digestion facility was built by the Monterey Regional Waste Management District (MRWMD) in conjunction with Zero Waste Energy. JRMA provided site and structural engineering plans to create the facility. Working with all teams on this project, JRMA also coordinated appropriate designs to put all of the pieces together and obtain proper permitting.

The SMARTFERM^® system takes organic waste such as food scraps and yard trimmings to produce biogas and compost. To support the biological process occurring inside the units, JRMA created plans for strong foundations and underground percolate tanks. With everything in the right place and working properly, Monterey Regional Waste Management District’s SMARTFERM^® produces 2,200 tons of compost per year and a sufficient amount of biogas to generate 100 kW of electricity, which is used at the nearby facility operated by the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency.