Top 10 Waste-to-Energy startups in USA

Dec 11, 2024 | By Alexander Gillet

1
Funding: $430M
Vanguard Renewables is a national leader in the development of organics-to-renewable energy projects.
2
Funding: $281.2M
Fulcrum Bioenergy converts household garbage into low-carbon transportation fuels, including jet fuel, diesel, and ethanol.
3
Funding: $90M
Sierra Energy’s blast furnace heats trash to 4,000 degrees and then harvests the gas to make plastics and fuel.
4
Funding: $81.3M
Utility’s hydrogen production systems are based upon our proprietary high-temperature electrolysis processes that convert water into high-purity hydrogen. Our cutting-edge techniques are centered around high-efficiency, environmental-sustainability, and low-cost.
5
Funding: $64M
M2X Energy has developed a technology to capture methane from gas flare sites and convert it to liquid methanol, which can then be transported and used in low-carbon fuels and other materials.
6
Funding: $36.8M
Raven is a producer of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels using organic waste.
7
Funding: $36.9M
Zeno is developing next-generation radioisotope power systems that generate carbon-free, resilient power for decades. It also has an Air Force contract to build a satellite powered by nuclear waste
8
Funding: $28.7M
WasteFuel Agriculture is focusing on ways to create a waste-to-energy infrastructure where farmers can tap new business opportunities.
9
Funding: $22M
Enexor BioEnergy developed a small-scale, renewable energy system that converts organic and biomass waste into clean electricity as well as hot and chilled water. This combined heating and power system has broad applications for commercial, industrial and institutional use.
10

Arbor Renewable Gas produces renewable gasoline and hydrogen from waste wood and forest residue.
11

SGH2's technology uses high-temperature plasma torches to incinerate recycled waste, producing hydrogen as a byproduct.
12
Funding: $7M
Inventure Chemicals develops an ethanol and biodiesel conversion process by using a variety of raw materials including algae and agribusiness waste.
13
Funding: $5.3M
Ecotone Renewables has developed the “Seahorse”, which reinvents the food and plant waste disposal system, taking food that would otherwise be wasted and turning it into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer, through the process of anaerobic digestion.
14
Funding: $4.3M
Vespene Energy wants to convert landfill methane emissions to electricity for bitcoin mining. It sequesters methane and burns it to power the microturbines, which in turn generate electricity.
15
Funding: $4.1M
Renewell Energy created a mechatronic conversion system called Artemis Prime as an energy storage solution. This "fancy regenerative winch" aims to take inactive oil and gas wells that leak pollutants and use them for energy storage.
16
Funding: $2.5M
Ways2H develops technology to convert waste into clean hydrogen fuel. Wasy2H takes waste, that does not contain metal or glass, anything from medical supplies, wood or even plastic litter, and through a patented thermochemical process (not burning), converts it into a gas, from which it then extracts the hydrogen.
17
Funding: $1.8M
REVOLUTION Turbine Technologies is developing a compact, emissions-free turbine that generates power using only waste gas pressure.
18

Brightmark is on a mission to "reimagine waste" with its groundbreaking plastic renewal technique. Brightmark collects plastic materials and processes them into pellets through shredding. These pellets are then placed in an oxygen-starved container, providing an eco-friendly alternative as low-grade fuel.
19
Funding: $1M
We build portable, zero-emissions waste-to-energy Plasma Gasifiers that are scalable, modular, and can process between 50-500 tons of MSW, medical waste, hazmat, & convert it to Renewable Energy: Green Hydrogen, various synthetic fuels, & up to 50MW of power.
20
Funding: $250K
Khepra uses proprietary technology and excess renewable electricity to break down plastics and agricultural waste.
Editor: Alexander Gillet
Alexander Gillet is a senior editor for EnergyStartups. He has a deep background in energy sector and startups. Alexander graduated from Emlyon Business School, a leading French business school specialized in entrepreneurship. He has helped several non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting environmental education and sustainability and has written over 250 articles on energy technology for various websites. In his free time, Alexander enjoys yoga, camping and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can contact Alexander at alexgillet(at)energystartups(dot)com