DTE Vantage renewable gas project in Wisconsin to turn waste from nearly 10,000 cows into fuel for transportation

Project reaffirms DTE Vantage as one of the largest renewable natural gas producers in the Midwest 

BIRNAMWOOD, WIS., Feb. 16, 2023 – Methane from dairy cow manure will become sustainable renewable natural gas (RNG) at a new DTE Vantage biomass facility that begins operations this month in Birnamwood, Wis. The new DTE Vantage project with Matsche Farms, which manages approximately 10,000 cows and spans more than 5,000 acres of land, will produce enough RNG to fuel approximately 1,600 vehicles per year. 

“This RNG project is our eighth in Wisconsin, making us one of the largest RNG producers in the Midwest,” said Kevin Dobson, vice president of biomass, DTE Vantage. “We’re excited to be a part of this great community and offer many local environmental and economic benefits. We are assisting Matsche Farms in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by capturing the methane from manure – that would otherwise go directly into the atmosphere – and repurposing it as pipeline-quality RNG.” 

The methane from the farm’s manure waste will be used to produce RNG, which is then transported to DTE Vantage’s nearby Newton Interconnect site and injected into a natural gas pipeline. DTE Vantage is working with U.S. Gain – a Wisconsin-based company that delivers alternative fuel and renewable energy – to transport the RNG to market for vehicle use. U.S. Gain will bring the RNG generated from this new project to the transportation market in California where it will help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of its customers’ fleets.    

“We’re proud to work with DTE Vantage on this project, supplying cleaner transportation fuel for our customers’ vehicles,” said Bryan Nudelbacher, vice president of business development at U.S. Gain. “We’re so pleased this project involves a Wisconsin-based dairy farm, and we can extend the availability of cleaner, renewable natural gas.”    

DTE Vantage developed and operates 13 facilities in the U.S. that convert methane from landfill gas or dairy cow manure into sustainable RNG while offering compensation to its host partners. Learn more about DTE Vantage’s renewable energy projects and facilities at dtevantage.com/business-lines/renewable-energy. 

About DTE Vantage  

DTE Vantage is a dynamic, growth-oriented segment of DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE), a Fortune 500 company with more than $12 billion in annual revenue. Established in 1994, DTE Vantage manages and operates more than 60 innovative energy projects in 16 states and one Canadian province. It employs more than 600 dedicated team members across three core groups: Renewable Energy, Custom Energy Solutions, and Emerging Ventures. As a non-regulated business, DTE Vantage implements innovative solutions such as renewable energy and carbon management technologies to help customers – from family farms to complex operating facilities – meet their emission reduction goals. Learn more at www.dtevantage.com.   

About DTE Energy  

DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.3 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio includes energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, renewable natural gas, and energy marketing and trading. Through our commitment to cleaner energy, DTE Electric plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 90% and DTE Gas will plan to reduce methane emissions by more than 80% by 2040 to produce cleaner energy while keeping it safe, reliable, and affordable. DTE Electric and Gas aspire to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. DTE is committed to serving with its energy through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com. 

For further information, members of the media may contact:  

Megan Bonelli, DTE Energy, 313.235.5555