Permit needed for Optima at Smithfield plant in Tar Heel

TAR HEEL — A public input period is open for a permit connected to Smithfield Foods’ ability to sell methane as a renewable natural gas to Duke Energy.

The raw biogas of the Smithfield Fresh Meats Corp. are filtered by the Optima Tar Heel facility using pressure swing absorption equipment. The biogas, including existing anaerobic digesters and associated biogas collection system, are purchased from Smithfield’s wastewater treatment plant; processed, including removing impurities; and the methane is separated and sold as renewable natural gas to Duke.

It is transported through the Piedmont Natural Gas Co. pipeline.

The equipment installed has been permitted, but Optima TH has now upgraded the system and installed a candlestick flare. The flare acts both as an emission source and a control device for the facility.

The permit is sought for the flare and the gas upgrading system, the state Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality says in a release accompanied by the draft of the Environmental Justice report.

The materials are available for review through the DEQ website.

To comment, put “Optima .20A” in the subject line and email to [email protected] no later than April 4. Written comments mailed go to Rahul Thaker, 1641 Mail Service Center, 217 W. Jones St., Suite 4000, N.C. Division of Air Quality, Raleigh, NC 27699-1641.