September 23, 2025. CenterPoint Energy has signed an agreement with Vanguard Renewables to purchase renewable natural gas (RNG) created from food, beverage and farm waste at a new facility located on a farm near Litchfield, Minn. in Meeker County. CenterPoint plans for this made-in-Minnesota renewable energy project to be interconnected to its distribution system, powering customers’ homes and businesses.
RNG can be developed by recycling organic waste from farms, food scraps, wastewater treatment facilities, yard clippings and other localized methane sources that would typically vent to the atmosphere to produce pipeline-quality gas that can be used directly in place of conventional natural gas.
“CenterPoint Energy is taking strategic action to invest in a made-in-Minnesota renewable energy source to meet our customers’ needs and provide economic benefits to the communities we serve in Meeker County,” said Brad Steber, CenterPoint Vice President, Minnesota Gas. “This project helps us provide customers with an additional lower carbon energy resource for continued safe and reliable service, while accelerating the decarbonization efforts of our state.”
Vanguard Renewables’ Meeker County RNG project was selected through a competitive process that evaluated factors such as cost-effectiveness, proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions and ability to connect to CenterPoint’s distribution system by 2029. CenterPoint expects to select additional RNG projects over the coming months through a competitive process.
“This agreement with CenterPoint Energy reflects our shared commitment to deploying cleaner energy technologies that benefit both the environment and local communities,” said Michael O’Laughlin, CEO at Vanguard Renewables. “This project also represents a deeper investment in the Midwest, where we are bringing our circular model to life by harnessing the power of waste to build local infrastructure, support multigenerational farmers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Vanguard Renewables’ facility will be located at a dairy and crop farm in Meeker County, expected to process up to 290 tons of food, beverage and farm waste each day to generate RNG. The project is anticipated by Vanguard Renewables to create up to 100 construction jobs and 10 permanent operational roles.