PurposeEnergy opens third Vermont AD facility

PurposeEnergy, a Windham, New Hampshire-based renewable energy company, has opened its third facility in Vermont. The $23 million project will use patented anaerobic digestion technology to support Vermont’s circular economy goals by minimizing waste and maximizing resource recoveries.

The Middlebury Resource Recovery Center (MRRC) is the state’s first food waste-to-renewable electricity project awarded under the Vermont Public Utility Commission’s (PUC’s) Standard Offer Program.

The facility is designed to accommodate the high-strength organic waste from food and beverage manufacturers in the Middlebury Industrial Park, such as Cabot and Vermont Hard Cider, and a variety of trucked organic waste from other Vermont businesses.

Some companies will pipe their waste directly to the new facility for processing while others will send waste via truck.

Waste received is converted into biogas to create renewable energy. PurposeEnergy founder and CEO Eric Fitch tells MyChamplainValley.com that the facility also is capable of removing phosphorus from waste.

More than 8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable electricity are expected to be generated annually for Vermont homes and businesses. The Middlebury facility is expected to eliminate over 2,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. As permitted, the plant can process 100,000 gallons of high-strength organics daily into clean water, renewable electricity and natural fertilizer.

“We are excited to support Vermont’s sustainability goals by diverting organics from landfills and producing clean water and renewable electricity at Middlebury,” Fitch says. “We are thankful to all the stakeholders involved in delivering this project, including local and state government officials, the Vermont PUC and our anchor partners, Agri-Mark and Vermont Hard Cider. We share Vermont’s vision for a sustainable future.”

Coupled with PurposeEnergy’s initial renewable energy plant in South Burlington, the three facilities combined are expected to generate more than 20 million kWh of renewable electricity per year.

PurposeEnergy’s next step is to increase its capacity and produce energy, Fitch adds. After that, the company will focus on opening a new facility in St. Albans sometime next year.