Ben and Jerry’s powers new organic waste-to-energy facility
The partnership with PurposeEnergy turns ice cream production waste into renewable power
PurposeEnergy, a provider of organic waste-to-renewable energy solutions, has officially opened its new anaerobic digestion facility in St. Albans, Vermont. Construction commenced in May 2023, and the facility began exporting electricity to the Vermont grid in December 2024.
This milestone marks PurposeEnergy's first project fully funded by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners following the firm's acquisition of PurposeEnergy in April 2023.
PurposeEnergy and Ben and Jerry's signed a long-term feedstock agreement in 2021, laying the groundwork for the St. Albans facility, which converts high-strength organic waste and out-of-spec food products into renewable energy and clean water. Ben and Jerry's sends production waste streams through a dedicated pipeline directly to the facility.
Additional feedstocks from regional producers are transported by Casella, Wind River Environmental, Evergreen Services, and Carmichael Trucking — helping to centralize food waste management and expand the facility's positive environmental impact.
PurposeEnergy's facility was built on land purchased from Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation and is expected to generate 8,750,000 kWh annually of renewable electricity exported to the Vermont grid under the state's Standard Offer program, which supports the deployment of small-scale renewable generation. Simultaneously, the facility recovers up to 45,000 million Btu annually of renewable thermal energy used to heat the digester and support facility operations.
Investing in local clean energy goals with Ben and Jerry's
"This project strengthens Ben and Jerry's commitment to environmental sustainability by providing a long-term solution for organic waste," said Ben and Jerry's Global Sustainability Manager Jenna Evans. "It will reduce Vermont's road traffic, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease Phosphorous pollution."
The presence of PurposeEnergy's industrial-scale waste treatment facility can support further food manufacturing investment and economic growth in the St. Albans Industrial Park and surrounding region by offering an on-site, sustainable solution for waste management and renewable energy recovery.
"This facility represents a major step forward in sustainable infrastructure for food manufacturing in Vermont," said Erik Lallum, chief development officer of PurposeEnergy. "It's a model of industrial symbiosis — turning food production waste into clean energy, reducing emissions, and supporting local economies."
Opening the facility marks the beginning of a new chapter in Vermont's clean energy and food manufacturing landscape, uniting public and private stakeholders in the shared mission of building a more sustainable future.
