GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Woodchuck, an AI-powered climate-tech startup redefining how construction and manufacturing industries handle wood waste, announces that Barton Malow, a 101-year-old construction enterprise, has partnered with Woodchuck to divert wood waste from the Hart Solar Farm project away from landfills and into clean energy production. Together, the companies are not only diverting thousands of tons of wood waste from landfills, but also saving time and resources by streamlining the waste hauling process. The diverted material is processed and delivered to Genesee Power Station, a NorthStar Clean Energy project, where it is repurposed as biomass to generate renewable power.
The collaboration addresses one of the most significant challenges in renewable energy construction: waste management. Traditionally, pallets, cable spools, and miscellaneous wood supports would have been sent to landfills. By working with Woodchuck, Barton Malow is ensuring that these materials find a higher purpose in clean energy production.
“Partnering with Woodchuck gives our project teams a real opportunity to put waste diversion into practice on a large scale,” said Jill Katic, Senior Sustainability Director at Barton Malow. “Not only does this help us reduce environmental impact, but it also provides quantifiable reporting we can use in our greenhouse gas inventories and annual sustainability reports. That level of accountability helps us deliver greater value to our clients.”
For Woodchuck, the partnership reflects its mission to eliminate construction waste from landfills and create renewable energy streams.
“Our work with Barton Malow at the Hart Solar Farm is proof that waste can be an asset,” said Todd Thomas, CEO of Woodchuck. “By coordinating hauling, shredding, and processing on site, we make the logistics easier for builders while ensuring that every pallet and piece of wood debris is diverted into clean energy production instead of buried in a landfill.”
| Your local Trimble Construction Division dealer |
|---|
| SITECH Michigan |
NorthStar Clean Energy, which utilizes the repurposed biomass, sees the project as a demonstration of how collaboration across industries can drive measurable sustainability outcomes.
“Turning wood waste from a solar construction site into clean, renewable energy is exactly the kind of circular solution our energy future demands,” said Brian Hartmann, President of NorthStar Clean Energy. “Working with Barton Malow and Woodchuck shows how innovative partnerships can scale sustainable practices while delivering reliable energy to Michigan communities.”
The Hart Solar Farm project, which spans more than 4 square miles, has already diverted nearly 500 tons of wood waste that was converted into 38M BTU, enough energy to power 16 Detroit homes for a month (or equal to 824 tons of CO2e, the equivalent of taking 180 cars off the road for a year). For Barton Malow, the effort is helping clients meet sustainability goals while advancing renewable energy infrastructure.
