Food Waste Biogas Plants Grow to 404 Sites
Food-waste facilities now capture renewable energy from discarded food in 48 states, with rapid growth since 2020.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Organic Food
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Should the U.S. do more to turn discarded food into renewable energy?
The American Biogas Council identified 404 operating facilities across 48 states that produce biogas from food waste, according to research released November 5, 2026. The findings show the sector's footprint is growing quickly, with 42 facilities coming online since 2020 accounting for 32% of annual biogas production.
Why it matters
Food waste is one of the largest sources of material sent to landfills, and capturing it for energy is one route to cutting methane emissions while producing renewable power and fuel. The research arrives as the sector has expanded 73% over last year's facility count, suggesting that food-waste recovery is moving from pilot projects to a durable part of the energy system.
The findings come from an industry census by the American Biogas Council counting operating facilities and estimating annual biogas capture and investment. The 181 billion cubic feet figure is a projection assuming all discarded food is processed through anaerobic digestion, not a measured output.
The players
American Biogas Council
A U.S. industry trade association that promotes the development of biogas from organic waste sources for renewable energy and fuel.
The details
Biogas systems capture the gas released when microorganisms break down food waste in oxygen-free tanks, and that gas can be used to generate renewable electricity and heat or upgraded into renewable natural gas. Facilities take food waste from food manufacturers, grocery stores, restaurants and other sources, with about 200 of the 404 sites combining food waste with manure or wastewater at farms and treatment plants. Of the 204 food-waste-only facilities, 161 process pre-consumer waste, mainly wastewater from food processing and beverage manufacturing, while 43 handle retail and consumer waste.
Timeline
2020: 42 newer food-waste biogas facilities began coming online.
2024: The United States generated 70 million tons of food waste.
2025: Seven new food-waste renewable natural gas projects came online.
November 5, 2026: The American Biogas Council released its research.
Health Landscape
Food-waste biogas facilities are a growing piece of the nation's organic-waste management, with the American Biogas Council's count rising 73% over last year's figure. The expansion reflects a broader shift toward turning organic waste into renewable energy rather than sending it to landfills.
Food-waste biogas is a systems-level development and does not change what you should eat or buy directly. Readers interested in reducing their own food waste can still reap benefits, since less discarded food means less methane released from landfills.
The takeaway
Turning food scraps into energy is an expanding part of the U.S. energy and waste landscape, with new facilities coming online at a rapid pace. Consumers can help by planning meals and storing food to cut household waste, a habit that supports both personal budgets and cleaner waste streams.
Further reading
For more on the foods and practices behind this waste stream, see Organic Food in our food and drink coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Waste360.
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Should the U.S. do more to turn discarded food into renewable energy?
