Long Island Compost and its American Organic Energy affiliate say they are taking the next step to modernizing a Yaphank facility with a $40 million system designed to turn food waste into natural gas.
After some delays, American Organic Energy said it plans to begin construction of an anaerobic digester late this year or early next so that it can begin accepting and separating 180,000 tons of food waste from supermarkets, restaurants, hospitals and schools. The food waste turned natural gas will fuel electric power generators at the facility, which will sell any excess gas. Newsday first reported on the plan in 2013.
The effort will be helped by the awarding of a $1.45 million grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, said Charles Vigliotti, chief executive of Long Island Compost and AOE.