Divert, an impact technology company on a mission to Protect the Value of Food™, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) have announced a first-of-its-kind interconnection in the state of California to address the wasted food crisis.
Divert’s facility in Turlock, California is now processing unsold food products into carbon-negative renewable energy, which is being injected into PG&E’s natural gas transmission line.
“This is a remarkable clean energy milestone that reflects the hard work, dedication and world-class talent of every individual who has contributed to bringing this project to life,” said Ryan Begin, CEO and co-founder, Divert.
“Together with PG&E, we are providing carbon-negative renewable energy to Californians, bringing the state one step closer to achieving its climate and clean energy goals. The Turlock facility represents a significant step forward in addressing the dual environmental and social crises of wasted food, and underscores Divert’s leadership in scaling sustainable infrastructure solutions for the energy sector.”
The Turlock Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility will be able to process 100,000 tons of unsold food products a year. Nearly 225,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas (RNG) will be delivered into PG&E’s system.
Divert’s facility will also mitigate approximately 23,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to removing approximately 5,000 gas-powered cars from the road.
More than 63 million tons of food are wasted in the US each year, a crisis that contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—nearly 14%.
California alone discards six million tons of food annually.
The Turlock facility delivers on Divert’s commitment to further address the wasted food crisis in California, providing businesses with data analytics and insights to waste less and donate more food.
Leveraging its proprietary anaerobic digestion solution, Divert is then taking unsold food that would otherwise be emitting harmful methane in a landfill and transforming it into a beneficial and carbon-negative byproduct.
In doing so, Divert is bringing California closer to reaching its net-zero carbon pollution goals.
“Today marks another exciting first for PG&E and our customers and highlights our commitment to supporting the advancement of diverse renewable natural gas resources produced locally in California,” said Austin Hastings, vice president, PG&E Gas Engineering.
“By accepting renewable natural gas made from unsold food products into our pipeline system, we’re contributing to a more sustainable California and advancing toward our goal of a net-zero energy system by 2040. It’s a win for our customers, our state, and our climate goals.”
Divert’s facility in Turlock is slated to be fully operational in Q4 2024.
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