The Kroger Company (NYSE: KR) has unveiled a clean energy production system that will convert food that can’t be sold or donated into clean energy to help power its Ralphs/Food 4 Less Compton CA distribution center.
This anaerobic conversion system will process more than 55,000 tons of organic food waste into renewable energy annually and provide power for the more than 650,000-square-foot distribution center. By diverting that food waste—equivalent to 150 tons per day—the system will also reduce area truck trips by more than 500,000 miles each year. The Kroger Recovery System uses a process to convert the carbon in organic material into a renewable source of methane.
The system uses anaerobic digestion, a naturally occurring process, to transform unsold organics and onsite food-processing effluent into renewable biogas. This biogas is then turned into power for onsite operations. The process is carried out in an enclosed, oxygen-free environment, which means the process takes up less space and generates no odors. The system will provide enough renewable biogas to offset more than 20% of the energy demand of the Ralphs/Food 4 Less distribution center.
Combining the use of renewable energy power with more than 150 zero-emission fuel cell forklifts, the Ralphs/Food4Less distribution center has advanced Compton as a sustainable community.
This system is designed and operated by FEED Resource Recovery Inc, a clean technology company founded in Boston MA in 2007. FEED has designed and implemented a zero-waste system called R2S for the food industry. More information is provided at www.feedresourcerecovery.com.
Kroger has 343,000 employees serving customers in 2,424 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names. These include Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs, and Smith’s.
