The Athena Project, located in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, has been delivered with its first gas by Brightmark RNG Holdings LLC and Brightmark Fund Holdings LLC. Minnehaha County is home to three dairy farms: Boadwine Farms, Pioneer Dairy, and Mooody Dairy. As part of the previously announced partnership, dairy biomethane, a renewable natural gas (RNG), will be produced and marketed across the United States.

In the Athena Project, methane generated by manure will be captured, cleaned, and converted into RNG, which can be used for transportation, cooking, or electricity. It is anticipated that the gas will be injected into the local interstate pipeline system throughout the state.

“Achieving first gas at the Athena Project marks another major milestone as Brightmark continues to scale and expand our RNG production footprint throughout the country,” said Bob Powell, founder and CEO of Brightmark.

“We are excited to achieve another milestone in our partnership with Brightmark,” said Andy Walz, president of Chevron’s Americas Fuels & Lubricants.

“As agriculture and technology continue to advance and evolve, it has become apparent now more than ever that these two industries need to work hand in hand for the sake of our environment and those that inhabit it,” said Lynn Boadwine, owner of Boadwine Farms, Pioneer Dairy and Mooody Dairy.