Company turns organic waste into electricity

Loblaw Companies Ltd., Canada’s largest food distributor, is partnering with StormFisher Biogas in Toronto to turn the retailer’s organic waste into electricity. The London Free Press reports that 47 Loblaws stores in southwestern Ontario will ship about 15,000 tons of leftover fruit, vegetable and other organic waste to StormFisher’s $20 million power plant, which will open next year near London, Ontario. There the biogas from the rotting organic waste will be turned into electricity to sell into the regional grid. The power plant will generate 28 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 2,800 homes. The leftover solid waste will be converted into fertilizer pellets. The Globe and Mail reports that nationally Loblaws generates about 90,000 tons of organic waste per year. According to the 5-year agreement between the 2 companies, StormFisher will process a total of 75,000 tons of discarded food and other organics from Loblaws stores. StormFisher also has agreements with 22 food processing operations, restaurant chains and ag groups to supply 140,000 tons of biodegradable waste. The company is also working on 3 additional North American power plants in Lethbridge, Alberta, and in Iowa and Wisconsin.