No, it's not quite "Back to the Future," but it's close. Save those carrot peelings, coffee grounds and grass clippings.
Why? Well, they just might power your home one day. CenterPoint Energy is teaming up with a Shakopee, Minnesota landfill to process those food scraps for energy according to spokesman Joshua Solis.
"It's a great way for us to take what would go into a landfill and use it to cook our meals, heat our homes, and power our businesses," says Solis.
So, how does this work?
"It's processed in an oxygen-free tank and then refined to produce pipeline quality gas used directly in place of conventional natural gas," says Solis.
It's part of CenterPoint's five-year innovation plan that includes 17 pilot projects designed to reduce carbon emissions by a million tons.
This made-in-Minnesota renewable energy is expected to connect to CenterPoint's distribution system in Shakopee in 2027, and eventually provide customers with renewable energy for their homes and businesses.
"At CenterPoint, we're excited to invest in innovative efforts such as DCHZI's renewable natural gas production facility to help meet the energy needs of our customers and communities," said Brad Steber, CenterPoint Vice President, Minnesota Gas.
CenterPoint says the plan is expected to advance decarbonization efforts and deliver significant benefits for its Minnesota customers, including:
- Reducing or avoiding an estimated 1.1 million tons of carbon emissions over the lifetime of the projects – equivalent to the annual energy use of approximately 150,000 homes.
- Creating an estimated 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs over the pilot projects' lifetimes.
- Recycling and reducing waste to create renewable energy such as RNG.