SJI and Partners Host Ceremonial Groundbreaking on Linden Renewable Energy Project

Linden, NJ, April 16, 2024 – SJI, along with its partners Captona and RNG Energy Solutions, broke ground today on the Linden Renewable Energy (LRE) project, soon to be one of the nation's largest food waste-to-renewable natural gas facilities.

The project will convert organic waste into bio-methane using proven anerobic digestion technology in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. The bio-methane will then be upgraded to pipeline-quality natural gas for injection into the Elizabethtown Gas system next to the site.

“SJI is incredibly proud to break ground on one of the nation's largest food waste-to-renewable natural gas facilities in the United States,” said Mike Renna, president and CEO of SJI, during a groundbreaking ceremony attended by industry and government officials from across the state.

“This project is an important reminder about the critical role that our State’s natural gas utilities and natural gas infrastructure will play in our energy transition,” Renna said. “From the creation of hundreds of jobs, the potential to reduce greenhouse gases, and the use of innovative technology, this project is another example of how SJI is leading the way toward a cleaner energy future.”

The project also provides additional advantages, offering New York City, Northern New Jersey, and the broader metro region an opportunity to manage their organic waste streams to comply with state and local food waste regulations that require organic waste to be diverted from landfills.

Landfills represent a third of human-made methane emissions in the United States. By diverting organic waste from landfills, LRE is anticipated to avoid an estimated 120,000 metric tons of CO2e annually when working at full capacity.

Construction on the facility began in January 2024 and is slated to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025. When complete, the facility will convert up to 1,475 tons of waste to produce up to 3,783MMBtu/day of RNG—this is the energy equivalent value of 30,200 gallons of gasoline per day.

“Captona is proud to be a partner in this landmark food waste-to-RNG facility in the New York and New Jersey region,” said Izzet Bensusan, managing partner & founder, Captona. “This groundbreaking represents a significant step in the continued growth of our Energy Transition Infrastructure portfolio of Fuel Cell, RNG, Solar and Storage projects. By putting the region's food waste to productive use, this project not only reduces emissions but also offers an important waste management solution."

For more information about the Linden Renewable Energy project, please click here.