From Discarded Food to Renewable Energy

The figures are alarming, if not astounding.

More than 100 million tons of food waste are produced annually in the United States alone, with nearly half of it ending up in landfills or incinerators.

As leftover food breaks down, methane is produced. Estimates show that nearly 10% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions are caused by wasted food.

Plans to collaborate and build more plants that convert waste food into sustainable natural gas have been made public by Enbridge and Divert Inc. (RNG). It's a landmark partnership for Enbridge that aims to address both significant problems—food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Divert, a company based in Concord, Massachusetts, was created in 2007 and develops cutting-edge technology and environmentally friendly infrastructure. By keeping food as fresh as possible, recovering edible food to help communities in need, and turning discarded food into renewable energy, their solutions reduce waste.

The connections are clear-cut. Enbridge sees increasing RNG supply as a crucial component of its energy transition plan, and Divert is expanding into RNG thanks to its technical and logistical know-how and ties to RNG feedstock from the food industry.