EVERETT, Massachusetts (August 24, 2012) – Lifecycle Renewables has commissioned it’s 0.5 megawatt (MW) renewable energy system powered with recycled cooking oil at Whole Foods Market’s 70,000 square foot kitchen facility. The renewable energy system supplies virtually all of the kitchen’s electricity needs or just over 2 million kilowatts per year.
Whole Foods Market’s kitchen facility, located at 9 Commercial Street in Everett, serves the North Atlantic and Northeast regions of Whole Foods Market, supplying prepared foods and other products to 62 Whole Foods Market stores located in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.
Lifecycle Renewables’ system was placed into continuous operation at the kitchen facility earlier in the week and produces enough electricity to power 200 American households. It runs on LR100, a fuel that Lifecycle Renewables produces from waste vegetable oil that Whole Foods Market’s kitchen facility wastes while producing over 20,000 lbs of food daily.
This is a massive leap forward in Whole Foods Market goal to become a zero waste operation. Producing electricity with waste cooking oil avoids new carbon dioxide emissions attributed to the use of fossil fuels in the generating of electricity. Exhaust emissions that are produced by vegetable oil contain virtually no sulfur oxides and sulfates, both major contributors to acid rain. In fact, the use of LR100 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent compared to traditional diesel.
“The system is not short on technology,” says Lifecycle Renewables’ CEO Rory Gaunt. “It was critical for Whole Foods that they have a base-load reducing (continuous operation) system that provides true power redundancy. From the fuel production to engine customization, emissions controls and operating controls – this is really a set-it-and-forget-it type system. Easy to use and dependable, that’s how energy needs to be,” said Lifecycle Renewables’ CTO Adi Venni. The system automatically follows the building’s electricity demand, so every gallon of LR100 is used specifically for Whole Foods Market’s electricity consumption.
Lifecycle Renewables provides Whole Foods Market and the Northeastern United States with professional waste vegetable oil removal services as well as grease trap cleaning. Lifecycle’s highest priority is to provide its customers the best service available and at the same time create the highest values and the best environmental uses for waste vegetable oil and fats it collects.
Lifecycle Renewables’ Charlestown based refinery is capable of producing 5 million gallons per year of LR100, a renewable diesel with various uses including on-road diesel, commercial heating oil and renewable electricity production.
See Boston Globe Article: August 24, 2012
See Whole Foods Market Press Release: August 24, 2012
About Lifecycle Renewables Inc.
Founded in 2008 in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Lifecycle Renewables has grown to become the largest biofuels company in Massachusetts. Lifecycle Renewables Inc produces renewable diesel fuel derived from waste vegetable oil and animal fats at it’s refinery in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Lifecycle Renewables sources it’s renewable feedstock from New England restaurants, food manufacturing plants and hospitality businesses. Our waste vegetable oil supply customers are proud to know that Lifecycle Renewables is using their waste to create local renewable energy. Our mission is to create the highest and best economic and environmental value for organic wastes. Please visit us at https://lifecyclerenewables.com/ to learn more about how you can make the most of your waste vegetable oil through our clean and professional waste vegetable oil collection and grease trap maintenance services.
About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFM), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company’s motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s more than 69,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 15 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2011, the company had sales of more than $10 billion and currently has more than 325 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
