Rockwood Farm’s new anaerobic digester is up and running at their 600 cow farm, producing 450 kW of renewable electricity, soil amendments and hot water from manure and food waste in Massachusetts. The project was developed by ABC member Ag-Grid Energy and will collect food waste from the Coca-Cola plant in Northampton, Agri-Mark’s butter and dried milk powder plant in West Springfield and area H.P. Hood dairy plants. They also take grease from restaurants that would otherwise go to area sewage treatment facilities. The project meets a number of goals for the state, said John Lebeaux, commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources. It gives income for the farm. It cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions, because the methane would otherwise escape into the atmosphere. And it gives the state’s food waste a place to go. More >>