From plate to power: Benerg transforms waste into sustainable energy

Food waste isn’t just leftovers on a plate; it’s an untapped energy resource slipping through our fingers. Each year, Europe alone generates enough food waste to rival the emissions of entire nations, adding to a growing environmental crisis. But what if this waste could be transformed from an environmental burden into a sustainable energy source? Benerg has developed a groundbreaking biogas technology that converts food waste into clean energy, right at the source, within the walls of these businesses. Their innovation presents a self-sustaining solution that merges waste management with energy production, offering a new way forward for businesses and cities alike.

At the heart of Benerg’s mission is a commitment to empower buildings, like restaurants and hotels, to become self-sufficient energy producers. Their sleek, smart systems reduce the waste-handling burden on municipal services and offer businesses a new way to save on energy costs and lessen their environmental footprint. It’s a seamless, compact solution designed to operate directly within buildings. Daily food scraps, once destined for landfill, are processed on-site into electricity and heat, helping businesses meet their energy needs without relying on the unpredictable energy market. It’s waste turned to resource, and resource turned to resilience.

Beyond energy, the process yields an unexpected benefit, organic fertilizer that returns nutrients to the soil, making Benerg’s technology a bridge between urban energy demands and sustainable agriculture. With every installation, Benerg is not only addressing food waste but creating a ripple effect of positive impacts on local economies and ecosystems. It’s a compelling shift from conventional waste disposal to an on-site, energy-generating ecosystem, reshaping how we think about waste and power in modern urban spaces.

In a world increasingly affected by climate change and resource scarcity, Benerg’s innovation offers a practical, empowering alternative, allowing buildings to participate actively in a circular economy. With this technology, they’re setting a new standard for sustainability in urban environments, transforming waste into a valuable asset.

Food Waste, a Missed Energy Opportunity

Founded in 2024 in Helsinki, Benerg Oy is a pioneering startup reshaping the way buildings manage food waste. Led by a trio of founders with over 25 years of combined experience in engineering and industrial systems, Benerg is set on a mission to address the escalating food waste problem while generating sustainable energy. The company’s biogas machine is designed specifically for commercial spaces, from hotels to restaurants, turning daily food waste into electricity and heat. Their journey began four years ago with a question: can smaller-scale biogas systems be optimized to make a larger impact? This inquiry sparked years of research and development, culminating in a ready-to-use solution that delivers on both efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Through a customer-driven approach and an IoT-powered monitoring system, Benerg provides a seamless experience for clients to transform food waste into a valuable resource. As they prepare for expansion, Benerg collaborates with advisors from Startupbootcamp, Urban Tech Helsinki, and Business Helsinki, ensuring they have the right mix of technical guidance and industry insight to scale effectively.

Benerg’s innovative technology enables buildings to convert food waste on-site into energy. These biogas machines can produce electricity or heat while also yielding organic fertilizer as a byproduct, creating a closed-loop system that reduces waste, lowers energy costs, and mitigates carbon emissions. Targeting commercial buildings with significant food waste, Benerg’s machines offer a cost-saving alternative to conventional waste disposal while reducing methane emissions as an essential step towards carbon neutrality.

The scope of Benerg’s vision extends beyond waste management. Their work aims to alleviate dependency on grid energy, positioning buildings as autonomous energy generators. With fluctuating energy prices and a fragile global energy infrastructure, Benerg’s off-grid, biogas-driven solution provides a reliable alternative to traditional energy systems. Their technology stands as a resilient solution against the unpredictable nature of renewable energy sources and ongoing energy supply disruptions.

With the help of Urban Tech Helsinki, Benerg is paving the way for a greener future

Benerg is uniquely positioned to impact clean and sustainable cities like Helsinki through innovative solutions that address both energy security and food waste management. By providing off-grid energy derived from food waste, Benerg enhances the reliability of energy supplies, counteracting the volatility in energy markets. This dual approach not only helps balance energy needs but also significantly reduces challenges related to food waste disposal, such as waste collection logistics and methane emissions. The process also produces organic fertilizer, which can replace conventional ammonium nitrate fertilizers, further promoting sustainable agricultural practices and contributing to a healthier urban ecosystem.

Collaborating with key partners in the Urban Tech Helsinki program, including the City of Helsinki, Aalto University, and Metropolia, Benerg is actively pursuing piloting opportunities within these institutions. These collaborations aim to offset their energy requirements while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprints. A particularly exciting initiative involves launching a project to calculate the carbon footprint reduction achieved through these practices, serving as a valuable case study for sustainable development.

The experience gained from the Urban Tech Helsinki program has been instrumental in Benerg’s growth. The self-paced nature of the program has allowed the team to engage deeply with their peers and the community, fostering valuable insights and feedback. Power hours have proven particularly beneficial, offering a platform for startups to present their business models, gather constructive critiques, and refine their strategies based on shared experiences. This collaborative environment is critical in Helsinki, where local stakeholders are keen to support innovative businesses that align with the city’s vision for carbon neutrality and sustainability.

Looking ahead, Benerg aims to install 1000 biogas machines by the end of 2025 across multiple countries, reinforcing its commitment to transforming food waste into energy. Achieving this milestone will position Benerg as a leader in the clean energy and waste management sectors, paving the way for aggressive growth into new markets. To realize this vision, the company seeks talented professionals in B2B marketing and customer support, particularly within the cleantech space, as well as partnerships with investors who bring expertise and resources that resonate with Benerg’s mission. By fostering a network of support and collaboration, Benerg is determined to triple its impact and contribute to a more sustainable future for cities worldwide.

To learn more, visit Benerg or follow them on LinkedIn.

This article was created in collaboration with Urban Tech Helsinki project.