What SKS Development does

SKS Development LLC is a Portland, Oregon-based project developer founded in 2017 that designs, finances, constructs, and commissions anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities converting organic waste—primarily dairy manure—into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas (RNG). Its core technology uses sealed, oxygen-free complete-mixed digester tanks where microorganisms break down organic feedstock to produce biogas (55-75% methane), which is then upgraded and injected into natural gas pipelines. SKS positions itself as technology-agnostic, customizing equipment selection, digester configuration, and process design to site-specific conditions including feedstock volume, pipeline access, and growth objectives, with a carbon intensity scoring methodology used during design to maximize environmental credit generation under California's LCFS, Federal RFS, and Section 48 ITC frameworks.

The business model is multi-stream: (1) RNG production and sale via pipeline injection (transaction-based), (2) professional services across feasibility, design & engineering, and construction management (project-based), (3) environmental attribute monetization including RINs, LCFS credits, and D3 cellulosic biofuel credits (transaction-based), and (4) digestate byproduct sales for fertilizer, bedding, and soil amendments. The company targets medium-to-large dairy farms (minimum ~2,500 cows) and industrial food processing waste generators through direct B2B enterprise field sales and multi-year project development cycles. Current portfolio includes seven facilities across the U.S., with three named projects—SKS-EVD in Idaho (~408,000 MMBtu/year), SKS-WMR in Central Michigan (~284,000 MMBtu/year), and SKS-SCR in Southwestern Michigan (~95,000 MMBtu/year)—targeting combined annual production of approximately 1.5 million dekatherms when fully operational.

SKS secured an investment from SWEN Capital Partners in December 2024 through its SWEN Impact Fund for Transition to expand the team and grow the North American facility portfolio. Operational execution relies on a strategic alignment with Taurus Biogas for O&M services, and the company maintains memberships in the American Biogas Council and the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas. Leadership combines deep AD technical pedigree (CEO Dana Kirk founded the MSU Anaerobic Digester Research Center) with finance and operations expertise (COO Nathan Kennedy), supported by a specialized engineering, compliance, and construction management bench.

Name

SKS Development

Legal name

SKS Development LLC

Website

https://sksgreen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SKS Development LLC is a Portland, Oregon-based project developer founded in 2017 that designs, builds, and commissions anaerobic digestion facilities converting dairy manure and industrial food waste into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas, serving medium-to-large dairy farms and food processing operators across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Project Development

NAICS

Natural Gas Distribution (221210)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Biogas/RNG Plant Development, EPC & Project Delivery (EUAAAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biogas/RNG Plant Operations, Maintenance & Asset Management (EUAAAEAI), RNG Injection, Interconnection & Pipeline Quality Compliance (EUAAAEAE), Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Program Development & Portfolio Management (EUAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Renewable natural gas
• Anaerobic digestion
• Biogas development
• Waste-to-energy projects
• RNG project development

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. RNG Production and Sales: SKS develops, constructs, and operates anaerobic digestion facilities that convert organic waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). Revenue is generated through the sale of RNG via injection into natural gas pipelines, with facilities producing approximately 1.5 million dekatherms annually once fully operational across the current portfolio.
2. Project Development Services: SKS provides comprehensive project development services including feasibility analysis, engineering and design, equipment procurement, construction management, and commissioning for biogas facilities. These are project-based services delivered to facility hosts.
3. Environmental Attribute Monetization: Facilities generate additional revenue through sale of environmental credits including RINs (Renewable Identification Numbers) under the Federal RFS program, LCFS credits under California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and D3 cellulosic biofuel credits. The value of these incentives often exceeds primary RNG revenue.
4. Digestate Byproducts: Sale or use of digestate - the solid byproduct of anaerobic digestion used as nutrient-rich fertilizer, livestock bedding, and soil amendments such as compost.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SKS Development develops, engineers, constructs, and commissions renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities that convert organic waste — primarily dairy manure and industrial food waste — into pipeline-quality RNG via anaerobic digestion. The company delivers full-lifecycle project development services including feasibility analysis, design and engineering, construction and commissioning management, and ongoing facility management, and operates a portfolio of seven RNG facilities across the United States that produce nearly 1.5 million dekatherms of RNG annually when fully operational.

Product overview

SKS Development offers a comprehensive suite of RNG (Renewable Natural Gas) development services centered on anaerobic digestion technology. The company's core offering is the development of biogas facilities that convert organic waste (primarily dairy manure) into renewable natural gas. Services span the entire project lifecycle including feasibility analysis, design & engineering, construction & commissioning, and facility management through their partner Taurus Biogas. The current project portfolio includes multiple RNG production facilities: SKS-EVD (Idaho, ~408,000 MMBtu/year), SKS-WMR (Michigan, ~284,000 MMBtu/year), and SKS-SCR (Michigan, ~95,000 MMBtu/year). The company also provides carbon intensity modeling, financial structuring, and leverages federal and state incentive programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RNG Development Projects End-to-end development of renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities that convert organic waste (primarily dairy manure) into RNG through anaerobic digestion, including project identification, feasibility analysis, design, engineering, construction management, and commissioning. Targeted at dairy farm operators and industrial food waste generators.
• Feasibility Analysis Services Comprehensive assessment of project viability including analysis of operation size, waste management practices, feedstock quality and quantity, business strategy, permitting and regulatory considerations, and natural gas pipeline access. Targeted at prospective host farms and industrial food waste generators considering anaerobic digestion projects.
• Design & Engineering Services Development of site plans, system designs, biogas production analysis, equipment and technology selection, carbon intensity scoring, selection of project delivery partners, and creation of detailed project budgets and financial models for biogas facilities. Targeted at host facilities progressing from feasibility to construction.
• Construction & Commissioning Services Management of construction and third-party project delivery partners, budget and schedule monitoring, regulatory compliance evaluation, best-in-class construction safety programs, and management of start-up and commissioning processes for biogas facilities. Targeted at host facilities ready to build and operate RNG systems.
• Facility Management (via Taurus Biogas) Ongoing operations and maintenance services for SKS-developed biogas facilities — including regulatory compliance, data tracking, maintenance programs, output evaluation, measurement and optimization, and health and safety programs — delivered through partner Taurus Biogas. Targeted at host facilities requiring post-commissioning operating support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Captures methane emissions over 25 times more damaging than carbon dioxide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Taurus BiogascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaurus Biogas is a specialized provider of comprehensive operations and maintenance services for biogas facilities. The SKS team is closely aligned with Taurus, which provides highly experienced on-site supervisors, operators, and mechanics handling regulatory compliance, data tracking, maintenance programs, output evaluation, measurement and optimization, and health and safety programs.
• American Biogas CouncilminorOthersNational trade association championing the growth of the biogas industry by representing, informing, connecting and training its members. SKS is a member of this association representing nearly 300 companies and 3,000 professionals in the biogas supply chain.
• Coalition for Renewable Natural GasminorOthersNon-profit organization dedicated to sustainable advancement of RNG as a clean, green, alternative and domestic energy resource. SKS is a member and the coalition serves as a public policy advocate and education platform for RNG in North America.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brightmark Energy: Brightmark Energy develops RNG and renewable energy projects across multiple feedstocks (dairy, food waste, landfill gas). Comparable as a project developer pursuing similar LCFS and RFS credit economics, with broader feedstock exposure than SKS's dairy-only focus.
• DVO, Inc. DVO, Inc. is a long-established U.S. dairy manure anaerobic digester company focused on complete-mixed systems for farms. Highly comparable to SKS in technology (complete-mixed AD), customer (U.S. dairy farms), and product offering (turnkey digester projects).
• Anaergia: Anaergia builds anaerobic digestion facilities and provides related technology and services to organic waste producers. Comparable as a turnkey AD project developer for biogas production, with comparable technology stack and customer profile.
• Aemetis: Aemetis develops and operates renewable natural gas and low-carbon biofuels facilities in California and the U.S. Comparable business model of producing RNG for pipeline injection and monetizing LCFS credits, though Aemetis is publicly traded and at larger scale.
• Vanguard Renewables: Vanguard Renewables is a U.S. dairy manure-to-RNG project developer that partners with dairy farms to build anaerobic digestion facilities, directly competing with SKS for dairy host sites and incentive-driven project finance. Most direct competitor on feedstock, customer segment, and revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Republic Services: Republic Services operates landfill gas collection and conversion projects across its U.S. solid waste network. Comparable RNG producer from waste streams, but at much larger scale and broader waste platform than SKS's dairy-only focus.
• Waste Management: Waste Management operates landfill gas-to-energy projects across its U.S. landfill network and has expanded into RNG production. Comparable as a major waste-to-RNG operator, but landfill-focused rather than dairy-focused and embedded within a much larger waste services platform.
• Clean Energy Fuels: Clean Energy Fuels is the largest U.S. provider of RNG as a transportation fuel, sourcing RNG from dairy and landfill projects. Comparable as an RNG offtaker and infrastructure player; broader scope than SKS's project development focus.
• bp (Archaea Energy): bp acquired Archaea Energy, one of the largest U.S. RNG producers from landfill gas and dairy, in 2022. Comparable as a scaled RNG operator, with much deeper capital base and broader waste-to-energy portfolio than SKS.
• Chevron (REG/CGX): Chevron, through its Renewable Energy Group and Cardinalbio/CGX joint ventures, is investing in renewable natural gas and biofuels projects in the U.S. Comparable as a major oil and gas incumbent expanding into dairy and agricultural RNG, with materially greater capital resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sks-development

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SKS Development