Food has always been hailed as fuel for the body. But in the quest for cleaner resources, food is getting a new power, taking it from tonight’s dinner leftovers to tomorrow’s source of energy.
Officials from South Carolina-headquartered Nexus W2V recently broke ground on the $140 million Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex in La Porte. When in operation, the facility is expected to process 200 tons of food scraps and byproducts daily and convert the organic waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). Officials anticipate the project will be complete by late 2026.
Over the lifetime of the complex, Nexus W2V officials note the facility will process about 2 million tons of organic waste and prevent 4 million tons of carbon emissions from entering the environment over the next two decades. This is a crucial move in Indiana’s pursuit to play a role in slowing climate change as the Environmental Protection Agency reports that municipal solid waste landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.
“The Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex represents an incredible opportunity to make a lasting impact on the environment and create a more circular economy. We’re thrilled to partner with Indiana on this landmark project,” said Nexus W2V CEO Roshan Vani in a press release following the groundbreaking. “This is a decisive step toward a future where waste is transformed into a valuable resource.”
In addition to its sustainability contributions by diverting waste from landfills, extending the life of those waste management facilities, and producing a cleaner energy source, company and community officials expect the waste-to-value project to create jobs, both during construction and once in operation. In turn, the complex is positioned to contribute to the economy in and around Northwest Indiana, stretching into the Chicago area to meet waste management needs there. In a statement during the groundbreaking ceremony for the complex, state Sen. Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores) noted the Kingsburg Bioenergy Complex’s domestic production further promotes energy independence as well.
The Conversion Process
The Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex will use a technological process known as anaerobic digestion, according to Shapiro Enterprises, a Massachusetts-based company chosen as the feedstock supplier for the facility.
The process involves the use of materials, or feedstock, which assist in a four-stage process of breaking down organic waste. Each stage breaks the waste into smaller parts, leaving three remaining parts – methane, carbon dioxide and water. The end result is a mixture of biogas and water with some organic material.
According to Shapiro, the process produces two byproducts – biogas and digestate. Biogas can be used to produce heat and electricity or turned into RNG by removing the carbon dioxide from the biogas to produce biomethane. Biomethane can be added to the gas grid as a replacement for natural gas or it can be turned into fuel for vehicles. A second byproduct of the process is the production of digestate, a material rich in nitrogen and phosphate that can be used as fertilizer.
Leading the Way
State Rep. Jim Pressel said in the release that the development of the Kingsbury Energy Complex is one more way Indiana leads in investments to waste management and energy solutions.
“As a bonus, Indiana is setting an example for the rest of the country on how to balance economic growth with efficiency,” he noted.
