GreenGasUSA and Pilgrim’s Pride announced on January 15, 2025, the commissioning of a renewable natural gas (RNG) project at Pilgrim’s poultry processing facility in Sumter, South Carolina.
Leadership from both companies was joined by representatives from the offices of Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, as well as members of the local business community to celebrate the collaboration and committed investment in renewable energy technologies in South Carolina.
The project is expected to inject RNG into the pipeline by the end of the month.
At Pilgrim’s Sumter processing facility, GreenGas is building on existing methane capture capabilities and investments to convert biogas from wastewater streams, upgrading biogas to RNG pipeline quality.
The collaboration is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the Sumter facility by improving wastewater operations as well as local air and water quality.
GreenGas CEO and founder Marc Fetten said, “This project represents another important win for South Carolina agriculture and industry and our environment. It is a demonstration of industries coming together and leading our collective journey towards a lower carbon future while creating economic and environmental benefits for our communities.
Fetten added, “The renewable energy produced at this project is enough to power nearly all the homes of the entire workforce working at Pilgrim’s Sumter plant and is produced from what until recently was simply a waste stream.”
The Sumter RNG project is the first operational site under a strategic partnership between the two companies focused on adopting circular economy technologies and repurposing waste streams into renewable energy.
South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers said, “Projects like the collaboration between Pilgrim’s Pride and GreenGasUSA at the Sumter facility enable the agricultural sector to participate in the circular economy.”
Weathers added, “I’m encouraged that South Carolina has emerged as a hub for partnerships that use the expertise and practices of traditional industries — like agriculture — to produce high-quality renewable energy products.”
GreenGasUSA and Pilgrim’s Pride parent company JBS are developing and constructing additional RNG projects located at processing facilities across the US.
“Pilgrim’s is committed to integrating sustainability into our business,” said Pilgrim CEO Fabio Sandri. “Our partnership with GreenGasUSA in Sumter is a prime example of how Pilgrim’s can implement innovative solutions to reduce our GHG footprint and unlock value for our business. With these efforts in mind, we can strengthen America’s food supply and create a better future for our communities where we operate.”
GreenGasUSA partners with global businesses to help reduce their environmental footprint by producing renewable natural gas and other renewable products, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), clean water and agricultural nutrients.
GreenGasUSA’s wastewater and engineering experts design and enable comprehensive biogas solutions, including biogas capture, anaerobic digestion, gas flare, compression, transportation and pipeline injection.
GreenGasUSA has six operating RNG facilities, and one CO2 facility, and is actively developing additional RNG and CO2 facilities throughout the US
As a global food company with more than 62,000 team members, Pilgrim’s processes, prepares, packages and distributes fresh, frozen and value-added food products to customers in more than 100 countries.
The company operates protein processing plants and prepared food facilities in 14 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the UK, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe.
