The project, called the Green Era Renewable Energy and Urban Agricultural Campus, is located on a former impound lot that was highly contaminated with pollutants from Chicago’s industrial past. After a major cleanup with funding from the EPA, the site is now home to an airless tank facility called an anaerobic digester that will process 55 million pounds of food waste per month. It will turn this waste into two valuable products: renewable energy and bio-fertilizer.
Jason Feldman, the co-founder and CEO of Green Era, talked about how the digester will capture the methane biogases emitted by the food waste (so they do not escape into the air as powerful greenhouse gases). These biogases will be upgraded into clean “renewable natural gas” (RNG) fuel which will be sold to a third party, helping to fund operations for all the rest of the site.
Erika Allen, the co-founder of Green Era and Co-CEO of the Urban Growers Collective, spoke about how the biosolids (or “digestate”) remaining in the digester will be used as rich fertilizer for the project’s urban farm. While the neighborhood had previously been a “food desert” devoid of healthy fresh foods, now fruits and vegetables will be grown for the community on-site.
The project benefits the community in many ways. It has directly created over 300 new jobs, including construction and permanent positions. The food produced from the on-site farm is heavily discounted for the community. The project engages the community, especially youth, to take an active role in making a sustainable economy that is environmentally conscious and minimizes waste. And it revitalizes the community with green spaces and new positive energy – including drawing visitors from around the world who come to see Green Era in action.
The campus will also have a visitor center, multi-use building space, and walking paths through green areas. Energy Vision awarded Green Era a Leadership Award in 2022.
There is tremendous potential for this model to be replicated in New York City and other urban areas, always being tailored to the specific needs of the community in question. Major sources of government funding are available for such undertakings.
Many webinar attendees called in to ask how they could learn more about how they might launch similar initiatives. EV President Matt Tomich encouraged anyone wanting more information to contact Energy Vision, especially if they are interested in pursuing a similar project.
