Vanguard Renewables celebrated the groundbreaking of its newest anaerobic digestion facility in Litchfield, Minnesota, marking the continued expansion of the company’s footprint in the Midwest. “We’re proud to expand access to organics recycling for food and beverage companies across the Midwest while helping meet growing demand for locally produced renewable energy in Minnesota,” said Mike O’Laughlin, CEO. “With a strong concentration of agricultural production, food manufacturing, and energy demand, the Midwest is a natural fit for continued investment as we expand our proven platform nationwide.
The facility will process more than 300 tons of food and beverage waste per day, providing regional manufacturers, retailers, and distributors with a reliable way to divert material from landfills at a time when growing regulatory pressure and sustainability commitments are accelerating demand for scalable organics recycling. Through anaerobic digestion, that material will be converted into renewable natural gas and nutrient-rich fertilizer, creating a closed-loop system that connects waste diversion with local energy production and regenerative agriculture.
Once commissioned, the facility will produce approximately 270,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas annually—enough to meet the energy needs of approximately 5,300 homes. The facility will interconnect to CenterPoint Energy’s distribution system, which serves approximately 950,000 customers across Minnesota.
“At CenterPoint Energy, we’re investing in Minnesota-made renewable energy to help reduce emissions and power a cleaner tomorrow for our customers and communities,” said Muss Akram, Vice President, Utility Strategy at CenterPoint Energy. “By purchasing renewable natural gas from Vanguard Renewables’ plant in Litchfield, we look forward to providing customers with a lower carbon fuel for their homes and businesses as we continue to provide the affordable, safe and reliable service they expect from us.”
The project is being developed through a joint venture with TotalEnergies, bringing together Vanguard Renewables’ expertise in organics recycling and biomethane production with TotalEnergies’ global energy development capabilities to accelerate the deployment of renewable natural gas infrastructure across the United States.
“This project reflects the strength of our partnership with Vanguard Renewables and our shared commitment to scaling practical, low-carbon energy solutions across the United States,” said Marc de Lataillade, Vice President, Biogas at TotalEnergies. “Projects like this not only support farmers and local communities but also play an important role in advancing circular economy solutions and meeting the growing demand for cleaner energy.”
The facility is being constructed at Wagner Dairy, a family farm that has been in operation since 1887. It reflects Vanguard Renewables’ model of partnering with agricultural producers to co-locate anaerobic digestion systems that deliver both environmental and economic benefits at the local level. The process at the facility also produces a nutrient-rich byproduct that is returned to the land as a natural fertilizer, helping reduce reliance on synthetic inputs while lowering operating costs across thousands of acres of working farmland.
“For our family and our farm, this project represents an investment in the future,” said Justin Wagner, Co-Owner of Wagner Dairy. “We are proud to partner with Vanguard Renewables on a solution that improves our nutrient and manure management while creating long-term value for our operation and the surrounding community.”