In the United States (US), Vanguard Renewables, a leading environmental services company and producer of biomethane from organic waste, has celebrated the groundbreaking of its newest anaerobic digestion facility in Litchfield, Minnesota (MN), marking the continued expansion of the company’s footprint in the Midwest.
The facility will process more than 300 tonnes of food and beverage waste per day, providing regional manufacturers, retailers, and distributors with a reliable way to divert material from landfills at a time when growing regulatory pressure and sustainability commitments are accelerating demand for scalable organics recycling.
Through anaerobic digestion (AD), that material will be converted into renewable natural gas and nutrient-rich fertilizer, creating a closed-loop system that connects waste diversion with local energy production and regenerative agriculture.
We’re proud to expand access to organics recycling for food and beverage companies across the Midwest while helping meet growing demand for locally produced renewable energy in Minnesota. With a strong concentration of agricultural production, food manufacturing, and energy demand, the Midwest is a natural fit for continued investment as we expand our proven platform nationwide, said Mike O’Laughlin, CEO, Vanguard Renewables.
Once commissioned, the facility will produce approximately 270,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas (RNG) annually—enough to meet the energy needs of approximately 5,300 homes.
The facility will interconnect to CenterPoint Energy’s distribution system, which serves approximately 950,000 customers across Minnesota.
At CenterPoint Energy, we’re investing in Minnesota-made renewable energy to help reduce emissions and power a cleaner tomorrow for our customers and communities. By purchasing renewable natural gas from Vanguard Renewables’ plant in Litchfield, we look forward to providing customers with a lower-carbon fuel for their homes and businesses as we continue to provide the affordable, safe, and reliable service they expect from us, said Muss Akram, VP Utility Strategy at CenterPoint Energy.
A JV project
The project is being developed through a joint venture with TotalEnergies, bringing together Vanguard Renewables’ expertise in organics recycling and biomethane production with TotalEnergies’ global energy development capabilities to accelerate the deployment of RNG infrastructure across the United States.
This project reflects the strength of our partnership with Vanguard Renewables and our shared commitment to scaling practical, low-carbon energy solutions across the United States. Projects like this not only support farmers and local communities but also play an important role in advancing circular economy solutions and meeting the growing demand for cleaner energy, said Marc de Lataillade, VP Biogas at TotalEnergies.
The facility is being constructed at Wagner Dairy, a family farm that has been in operation since 1887.
It reflects Vanguard Renewables’ model of partnering with agricultural producers to co-locate anaerobic digestion systems that deliver both environmental and economic benefits at the local level.
The process at the facility also produces a nutrient-rich byproduct that is returned to the land as a natural fertilizer, helping reduce reliance on synthetic inputs and lower operating costs across thousands of acres of working farmland.
For our family and our farm, this project represents an investment in the future. We are proud to partner with Vanguard Renewables on a solution that improves our nutrient and manure management while creating long-term value for our operation and the surrounding community, said Justin Wagner, Co-Owner of Wagner Dairy.
The project will deliver meaningful economic benefits to the region, including new job creation and additional local tax revenue. Construction is expected to support 100 jobs, with approximately 10 permanent positions created once the facility is operational.
Room for expansion
A portfolio company of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), part of BlackRock, Vanguard Renewables has identified the Midwest as one of the largest untapped renewable energy opportunities in the United States.
The company’s analysis shows the region has the potential to produce up to 1,580 trillion Btu of RNG—more than eight times the size of today’s RNG market.
This investment further strengthens Vanguard Renewables’ growing presence in the Midwest, now the company’s largest portfolio outside of New England.
With this facility online, Vanguard Renewables will operate 14 facilities nationwide, reinforcing its commitment to expanding organics recycling and renewable energy infrastructure across key agricultural markets in the United States.
