Posted on May 8, 2017
HARTFORD – State Representative Anne Dauphinais (R-44) recently visited the Quantum Biopower facility, a company whose business is turning food waste into energy.
Per an invitation from John Ferguson, a fellow constituent, Rep. Dauphinais spent the afternoon touring the plant and seeing first-hand what they do to minimize waste.
“Touring this facility was extremely fascinating,” Rep. Dauphinais said. “It is amazing to think that they have created all of this independently, without any grants or funding provided by the state.”
By using anaerobic digestion the 3.5-year-old Southington-based company turns food waste into methane gas which they can sell. Food waste and other organic material are separated out and stored in a controlled, oxygen-free environment that allows microorganisms to break it down.
This digestion converts essential elements into methane, which is captured and fed into a power unit that produces electricity. Quantum aims to not only be self-sustaining, but to also generate enough electricity to power 800 homes, all while eliminating 40 tons of trash daily, as well as turning unburnable waste into compost.
Quantum accepts organic pre-consumed waste materials such as:
• Expired beverages and food spoilage
• Meat and Dairy products
• Produce
• Packaged goods
In addition to food waste, Quantum also uses packaging, cardboard boxes, along with other non-recycled paper to create energy.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), food waste is the single largest component of solid waste sent to incinerators and landfills. Food waste consisted of more than 21% of the total U.S. Municipal Solid Waste generated in 2011, which equates to 36 million tons of wasted food, only 3.9% of which was diverted from landfills or recovered. The State of Connecticut produces 2.3 million tons of waste annually, and reuses only 32% of that total. Quantum Biopower’s goal is to increase the reused total to 60% by 2024.
“We need to work to decrease the mandates and regulations put on companies to allow them to have the ability to flourish and grow,” Rep. Dauphinais said.
(Picture: L-R)
John Ferguson and Brian Paganini, Vice President & Managing Director stand outside the Electric Room entrance at Quantum’s Southington facility.