Problem

IGS Energy had no centralized visibility into production data for their multiple RNG digester sites or central injection facility. Each site relied on different third-party vendors to manage separate portions of the process, resulting in siloed, vendor-specific data environments.

To compile production metrics and EPS-compliant reporting, IGS Energy had to manually request data from each vendor and consolidate it. This process was time-consuming, error-prone, and limited the organization’s ability to make timely, data-driven decisions. Additionally, as IGS Energy added new sites, the lack of standardized architecture made data management more difficult.

To achieve a successful implementation, MartinCSI needed to be mindful of several goals:

• Distributed Data Integration: Connect multiple geographically dispersed sites into a single, centralized system.
• Heterogeneous Systems: Integrate diverse PLCs, field devices, and vendor-specific platforms.
• Data Normalization: Convert inconsistent, vendor-specific data into a unified and usable structure.
• Scalability: Enable rapid deployment of new sites without reengineering the system.
• Reliable Data Transport: Ensure continuous data flow despite network interruptions.
• Regulatory Reporting Requirements: Structure data to meet EPA compliance standards without manual manipulation.
• Multi-Stakeholder Access: Provide secure, role-based access for operations, management, and third-party logistics vendors.

Solution

MartinCSI implemented a centralized data platform using a hub & spoke architecture built on Ignition.

At each farm site, standardized Ignition Edge Gateways interface with PLCs, sensors, and vendor systems to collect and historize production data. These edge devices transmit data to a central Ignition Gateway via a secure Gateway Network, using store-and-forward to buffer data locally during connectivity disruptions and ensure synchronization upon reconnection.

The centralized Gateway aggregates and normalizes all incoming data into a structured SQL database, creating a single source of truth across all sites. Ignition functions as both the integration layer and orchestration engine, transforming disparate industrial data into a unified, scalable data pipeline.

The data platform’s key capabilities include:

• Automated Data Pipeline: End-to-end aggregation, normalization, and storage of production data.
• EPA-Compliant Reporting: A custom module that automatically structures and exports data in required regulatory formats.
• Scalable Deployment Model: Standardized edge architecture enables rapid onboarding of new sites without reconfiguration.
• Real-Time Monitoring & Control: Centralized visibility, alarm management, and remote setpoint adjustments.
• Operational Dashboards: High-level system health, equipment status, and production metrics across all sites.
• Multi-Stakeholder Platform: Role-based access for operators, management, and logistics vendors to coordinate production and transport activities.
• Mobile Interface: Responsive design enables remote monitoring and troubleshooting from any location.

Result

The Ignition solution has transformed IGS Energy’s operations from a manual, fragmented process into a centralized, automated, and scalable data-driven platform:

• Eliminated Manual Reporting: Data aggregation and EPA-compliant formatting have removed the need for manual data collection and consolidation.
• Improved Data Accuracy & Integrity: Standardization and automation have reduced errors and ensured consistency across all sites.
• Enhanced Operational Visibility: Real-time access to production data has enabled faster decision-making and response to system conditions.
• Zero Data Loss: Store-and-forward architecture has ensured continuous data capture during network interruptions.
• Accelerated Scalability: New sites can be deployed quickly using a repeatable, standardized approach.
• Increased Cross-Functional Efficiency: Shared access has improved coordination between operations, management, and logistics vendors.

Beyond its initial scope, the platform has continued to evolve, supporting additional use cases such as advanced dashboards and future integrations like live camera feeds. The mobile interface, originally developed for troubleshooting, has become a widely adopted operational tool, further extending the system’s value.

This project demonstrates how Ignition can go beyond traditional SCADA and become a unified data platform for RNG production. It connects distributed renewable energy sites into a single system that automates compliance, unifies vendor data, and supports real-time coordination across operations, management, and logistics.

At its core, the solution supports a renewable energy process that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and converting organic waste into usable fuel, turning what would otherwise be emissions into a productive energy source. By replacing manual, siloed workflows with a scalable, automated architecture, the platform helps make cleaner energy operations more efficient, reliable, and easier to expand as demand grows.

Project Team

The project was led by Todd Ebright, Controls Engineer at MartinCSI, who completed the majority of the system design and implementation. Todd brings extensive experience in SCADA and Ignition development, having delivered numerous successful projects and been recognized as a 2016 Firebrand Award Winner. He was selected for this initiative specifically due to his deep expertise in designing scalable Ignition architectures and integrating complex industrial systems.

Rick Derthick, Sr. Project Engineer at MartinCSI, provided project management. Rick was instrumental in keeping the project on track and in ensuring realistic goals and targets were set. Sometimes the “what ifs” can get too big to manage and deploy. Rick did a great job with right sizing goals and expectations.

While Ebright and Derthick led the technical execution, IGS Energy’s team played a critical role in shaping the solution. The final system design was highly collaborative, with both teams working closely to define data structures, reporting requirements, and operational workflows.

Development followed an iterative approach: Ebright would build functional prototypes within Ignition, then review them directly with IGS Energy to refine database formatting, user interfaces, and equipment management screens. This continuous feedback loop ensured the platform not only met technical requirements but also aligned closely with real-world operational needs across all sites.

Project Scope

• Start Date: 5/2023

• Deploy Date: 10/2024 (with ongoing active deployments)

• Tags: 200

• Screens: 66 total (36 Gateway portal screens, 30 edge device screens)

• Clients: 4 (with more in developement)

• Alarms: 962

• Devices: Opto 22 GRV-Epic-PR2 (3), OnLogic Tacton (3), OnLogic Factor (3), Red Lion data station plus DSP (5), Red Lion data station (1), Allen-Bradley CompactLogix 5380 Controller (5), Allen-Bradley MicroLogix Micro870 Controller (5), Windows Server (1)

• Architecture: Hub & Spoke

• Databases: SQL Server (MSSQL Server)

• Historical data logged: 481

• Number of people on team: 3 (MartinCSI) & 6 (IGS)