Divert, Enbridge to invest $100m in Washington food waste to energy facility

Divert Inc., an impact technology company specializing in food waste management, has initiated the groundbreaking for a unique Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility in Longview, Washington. This first-of-its-kind facility in the state is designed to process 100,000 tons of wasted food a year into carbon-negative renewable energy.

Addressing Washington’s and Oregon’s Food Waste Challenge

The facility will serve both Washington and Oregon, converting wasted food into renewable energy and helping the region meet its goals of reducing food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. In Washington, over 2.7 million tons of food is wasted annually, and in Oregon, the figure stood at 1.11 million tons in 2021. The facility aims to align with Washington’s HB 1799 legislation and Oregon’s Food Scraps Policy.

Divert’s Advanced Technology in Action

“Leveraging 16 years of leadership and knowledge in the industry, our company is eager to support businesses across Washington and Oregon in preventing waste and complying with food waste legislation,” said Ryan Begin, CEO and co-founder of Divert. The 66,000-square-foot facility will use Divert’s proprietary technology to provide actionable data and transform waste into carbon-negative energy. Once operational in 2024, it will offset up to 23,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.

Divert Breaks Ground on Washington State’s First Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility. Image courtesy of Business Wire.

The Economic Impact of the Facility

Divert and energy infrastructure company, Enbridge Inc., are together expecting to invest nearly $100 million into the project. Caitlin Tessin, Vice President Strategy & Market Innovation at Enbridge, stated, “Since Divert and Enbridge announced our infrastructure agreement for up to $1 billion earlier this year, Divert has continued to lead the industry in solutions to mitigate wasted food and greenhouse gas emissions.”

Local and State Support for the Project

Washington Senator Maria Cantwell said, “This type of project is exactly what we had in mind when we got the expansion of the clean energy tax credit in the Inflation Reduction Act.” Mayor of Longview, MaryAlice Wallis, also expressed her support, “Our community looks forward to celebrating our alliance with Divert for years to come.”

Divert’s Ongoing Commitment

Divert currently operates 10 facilities across the U.S. and plans to expand to 30 facilities by 2031 to be within 100 miles of 80% of the U.S. population. The Longview facility is an essential step in achieving this ambitious goal.