Merry Hill, NC—Botanical extraction specialist, Avoca, Inc. (a division of Pharmachem Laboratories) is now greener than ever. In the first installation of its kind on the East Coast, Avoca is now the proud owner of a new biomass-to-energy system. The system replaces three boilers that ran on diesel fuel.

According to the firm, this $6-million equipment will enable Avoca to produce 30,000 pounds of steam hourly, which it will use for ingredient processing. The system runs on a natural byproduct from the facility (mainly sage, at 10 tons per hour), making the technology both green and cost effective. The cost savings will ensure their prices remain competitive, said Avoca president David Peele. He added in a press release that the firm has already slashed its steam costs by 90%. The system can also be powered by wood chips or other biomass.

Stated Peele, “With the biomass system, we’ve diverted about 110,000 cubic yards of material that would otherwise go into a landfill. Reducing this waste on an annual basis will result in about $1 million in savings. Next year, our sage harvest will increase by 50%, creating even more savings in disposal costs.”

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, January 2012