Power Knot opens biodigester plant

Power Knot, a manufacturer of food waste biodigesters for commercial foodservice operators, has opened a new 25,000-square-foot headquarters and production facility that significantly expands its manufacturing,” the company said.

The new facility is located in Fremont, Calif., just down the road from the Tesla automobile manufacturing plant. The location provides easy access to the major international shipping port of Oakland and positions Power Knot to meet rapidly growing demand for its LFC biodigester from customers around the world, the company said.

“Demand for our LFC biodigester has surged dramatically over the past year, driven by large orders from cruise line operators Costa, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, P&O and Seabourn, as well as from large international businesses such as the Dubai airport,” said Iain Milnes, president of Power Knot. “Our new Fremont facility is three times the size of our former facility and will allow us easily to meet the growing global demand for our market-leading LFC biodigesters. In addition, we are ramping up production of new, larger models capable of recycling thousands of pounds of waste food per day.”

Power Knot said the LFC biodigester was recently recognized for its contribution to managing waste food with a “Restaurateurs’ Choice Award for Environmental Good from Restaurant Technology News. The award recognizes excellence and innovation in providing and utilizing next-generation technologies to achieve sustainability and eco-friendly practices in restaurant operations.

Power Knot said the LFC biodigester is a practical alternative to the traditional disposal of waste food. It uses a series of processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the presence of oxygen. The LFC environment accelerates the digestion of most food products within 24 hours by using a proprietary mixture of microbes and enzymes. The output is grey water that is environmentally safe and suitable for discharge down the drain or to enrich landscapes. Almost all waste food from an industrial kitchen, including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, bread, rice and noodles can go into the LFC biodigester, and the machine can compost both raw and cooked foods. The process is totally green and sustainable because it uses no chemicals, the company said.