Sussex approves poultry-waste recycling plant
Story Location:
Route 113
Breasure Road
Georgetown, DE
United States
A $60 million state-of-the-art plant aimed at recycling poultry waste has received unanimous approval from Sussex County Council.
At its July 31 meeting, council approved an application filed by CleanBay Renewables to construct and operate Sussex I, a renewable energy facility that will be located at the southwest corner of Route 113 and Breasure Road south of Georgetown.
Through its anaerobic digestion and nutrient-recovery technologies, CleanBay will recycle 90,000 tons of chicken litter annually to create renewable energy for the region.
The site will produce 5 megawatts of electricity daily that will contribute to Delaware Electric Cooperative’s existing power grid, enough to power approximately 3,500 homes. The facility will also remove phosphorous from the chicken litter, making a small crystallized fertilizer that will be sold to farmers in the Midwest where the nutrient is in short supply. The remaining material will be available to area farmers to use as a soil amendment for their fields.
No access from Breasure Road
Council amended the conditions imposed by the planning and zoning commission to delete access from Breasure Road because of concerns expressed by nearby residents about additional truck traffic on the road. The amendment was proposed by Councilman Sam Wilson, R-Georgetown.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials requested that the developer provide access from Breasure Road and not Route 113 on the preliminary site plan submitted to Sussex officials.
However, the developer has been able to secure access from Route 113.
Spokeswoman Jackie Priestly said, as a next step, CleanBay will work with the planning and zoning commission to revise the preliminary site plan and the Delaware Department of Transportation to design a Route 113 entrance to the plant.
In addition, council adopted another amendment to restrict the number of truck deliveries to the site. Planning and zoning commissioners had placed a limit of 12 deliveries a day at the site.
Councilman George Cole, R-Ocean View, said it's difficult for county staff to enforce how many deliveries are made.
Construction scheduled for 2019
“We are thrilled with the support Sussex I has received from county officials, the community and industry alike,” said Tom Spangler, founder and managing director of CleanBay Renewables. “Sussex I will create renewable energy in a way that protects the Chesapeake Bay, provides for local farmers, creates new jobs and strengthens the electrical power grid. This is a win for the entire Delmarva region.”
Sussex I will operate 24 hours a day and create more than 15 new full-time jobs.
Council’s vote follows action by the planning and zoning commission, which recommended approval of the application with a unanimous vote in February.
Construction will begin in 2019. CleanBay’s facility in Westover, Md., is under construction and slated to open in 2019.
The company, founded in 2013, continues to evaluate other locations in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia for additional plant sites, Priestly said.
The project received endorsements from the Delaware Department of Agriculture, Delmarva Poultry Industry, the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays and the Delaware Electric Cooperative.
