PurposeEnergy has inaugurated a new anaerobic digestion facility in St. Albans, Vermont, developed in partnership with Ben & Jerry’s to convert organic waste from food production into renewable energy and clean water. Construction began in May 2023, with electricity exports to the Vermont grid starting in December 2024 under the state’s Standard Offer program. The project is PurposeEnergy’s first fully funded by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners following its acquisition of the company in 2023.
The facility processes high-strength organic waste and out-of-spec products, supplied under a long-term feedstock agreement with Ben & Jerry’s and complemented by additional inputs from regional producers transported by specialized waste haulers. Ben & Jerry’s supplies its waste via a dedicated pipeline, reducing truck traffic and associated emissions. The plant is expected to generate approximately 8.75 million kWh of renewable electricity and recover up to 45,000 million Btu of renewable thermal energy annually, used to heat the digester and support operations.
According to Ben & Jerry’s and PurposeEnergy, the project lowers greenhouse gas emissions and phosphorus pollution while supporting industrial symbiosis between food manufacturing and energy production. Located in the St. Albans Industrial Park, the facility is positioned to underpin further food manufacturing investment by providing on-site, sustainable waste management and energy recovery infrastructure for producers in northern Vermont and upstate New York.
About PurposeEnergy
PurposeEnergy is a US-based clean-tech company specialising in the treatment and valorisation of organic waste streams from food and beverage production. Using its proprietary Tribrid-Bioreactor technology, the company designs and operates high-efficiency anaerobic digestion systems that convert industrial wastewater and organic residues into renewable energy, clean water and other usable resources. Its solutions are aimed at reducing trucking and off-site disposal, cutting energy and water costs, and lowering the carbon footprint of manufacturing sites while supporting higher production uptime and capacity. By integrating on-site waste-to-energy infrastructure, PurposeEnergy enables clients to improve environmental performance, enhance resilience to energy price volatility and contribute to corporate decarbonisation and circular economy goals.
