Held on May 8, 2023, the ribbon cutting ceremony was officiated by Greg Peracchio, Hytone Farm, and Dr Rashi Akki, Ag-Grid Energy, along with dignitaries and officials including CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner, Katie DykesLt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Congressman Joe Courtney, Senator Jeff Gordon, CT 35th District Rep. Tim Ackert, Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt, CT Department of Agriculture State Director Scott Soares, USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Machelle Simmons, and USDA NRCS Lisa Thomas, and Coventry Town Council Chair Michael Cassella (photo courtesy Connecticut Resource Conservation & Development).

In the United States (US), UGI Corporation (UGI) has announced that its subsidiary, UGI Energy Services, LLC (UGIES) and Ag-Grid Energy LLC (Ag-Grid), have commissioned and officially opened a new biogas to power facility at Hytone Farm in Coventry, Connecticut (CT).

Ag-Grid develops and operates small-scale renewable electricity projects in the United States

The Hytone Ag-Grid facility is a dairy manure and food waste project that will generate power from biogas produced by the digester. Electricity will be sold to municipalities via virtual net metering through Eversource.

In April 2022, UGI Energy Services announced its acquisition, via a subsidiary, of a 33 percent equity interest in Ag-Grid.

Hytone Ag-Grid is another example of the progress that UGI is making in building a strong renewable portfolio that is supporting projects that are viable today and will enable a more sustainable future. This project supports our goal of increasing our supply of safe, reliable, affordable, and environmentally friendly energy. We are excited to work with Ag-Grid on this project, said Robert F. Beard, Chief Operations Officer at UGI. that support local energy demands while lowering emissions.

Solid project pipeline

Ag-Grid is currently engaged in the production of renewable power with five operational projects, in Connecticut (CT) and Massachusetts (MA). These projects include the conversion of dairy waste and over 20 million gallons of food waste annually from nearby food manufacturers to renewable power.

Ag-Grid also has food waste de-packaging services at selected sites. The renewable power, currently produced from biogas being consumed in gas-fired power generation units, is sold through long-term net metering contracts to local utility and industrial customers.

Ag-Grid also has a strong pipeline of dairy and food waste digester projects that are expected to produce additional renewable power and renewable natural gas (RNG) in the United States.

GHI Energy, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UGI, will be the exclusive off-taker and marketer of RNG for Ag-Grid.

We are pleased to partner with UGI and see the completion of this project. UGI has more than 140 years of experience in the energy sector that we are leveraging for the success of this project. Their expertise combined with Ag-Grid’s robust pipeline of projects in both renewable electricity and RNG makes for a strong partnership that is yielding long-term sustainable results that are good for our communities and, ultimately, a better planet, ended Dr Rashi Akki, Founder and CEO of Ag-Grid.