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Anaerobic-digestion projects and wastewater co-digestion emerge as key paths to convert food waste to energy in New Jersey
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Summary
Operators and recyclers told a legislative hearing that several large anaerobic-digestion projects are under development in New Jersey and that co-digestion at wastewater treatment plants could expand capacity quickly.
Speakers at the joint Senate and Assembly Environment and Energy hearing highlighted existing anaerobic-digestion (AD) operations and several large projects under development as pathways to increase food-waste processing and generate renewable energy.
Brian Blair, general manager of Trenton Renewables (Trenton Biogas), described his facility’s operations and said the plant is designed to produce roughly 27,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year and employs about 35 people. Blair told the committees that facility lifecycle analysis suggests “it’s 2.2 tons of CO2e for every 1 ton of food that’s entering the process.” He said AD at wastewater plants and landfills that add source-separated food waste can “super-ignite” gas production and that public–private partnerships can renovate underused public assets while saving municipal operating costs.
Gary Sondermayer and other witnesses reported that larger projects are in development: South Jersey Industries and RNG Energy are constructing a Linden anaerobic-digestion facility with reported capacity of 1,540 tons per day and an expected in-service target of about the end of the first quarter of 2026; Bioenergy DevCo plans a roughly 500-ton-per-day AD facility in Mantua Township tied to Rowan University. Witnesses said these projects could substantially increase regional AD capacity.
Panelists discussed leveraging existing wastewater infrastructure: the committee heard the example of a facility that pumps macerated food waste to the Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority to maximize renewable natural gas generation. Witnesses recommended expanding the statutory transport radius for food-waste collection from 25 to 50 miles in some rules and urged that counties or DEP assess which wastewater treatment plants could accept co-digestion feedstocks.
Committee members asked stakeholders to coordinate with wastewater authorities and to share technical and economic arrangements. No formal votes were taken at the hearing; witnesses asked legislators to consider incentives and regulatory changes that would encourage AD development while ensuring environmental safeguards.
