Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted major growth in Kentucky’s energy sector as Green Energy Parks announced plans to locate a new $142 million agricultural waste-to-energy facility in Arlington that will create 20 high-wage positions. The project represents a record investment in Carlisle County and the first private-sector announcement in the county in more than a decade.
“We are proud to welcome Green Energy Parks to Arlington with this incredible investment that will create high-wage jobs, strengthen our economic future and pair with Kentucky’s iconic bourbon industry,” said Gov. Beshear. “With this announcement, we have now seen 43 counties announce their largest investment projects during this administration. Investments like these prove Kentucky is an economic leader.”
The Arlington facility will convert locally sourced agricultural byproducts – including corn stover, livestock manure and distillers’ grains from Kentucky’s bourbon industry – into renewable natural gas and food-grade liquid carbon dioxide (CO₂). At full capacity, the project is expected to produce approximately 1.47 million British thermal units of renewable natural gas annually, capture and liquify more than 72,000 tons of CO₂ per year and process approximately 575 tons of agricultural feedstock per day.
“Kentucky has exactly the right combination of agricultural heritage, forward-thinking leadership and business-friendly policy to make Arlington the blueprint for what renewable energy development can look like across America,” said Chris Negus, co-founder and CEO of Global NRG, and the co-developer of Green Energy Parks. “By converting corn stover, livestock manure and distillers’ grains – the very byproducts of Kentucky’s iconic industries – into clean renewable natural gas and food-grade CO₂, we’re not just creating 20 high-wage jobs; we’re demonstrating that energy transition and rural economic growth are two sides of the same coin. We’re proud to plant our flag in Carlisle County and deeply grateful for the partnership of Gov. Beshear and his administration in making this happen.”
Global NRG is a transatlantic renewable energy development and advisory firm specializing in anaerobic digestion, renewable natural gas and sustainable aviation fuel infrastructure. With offices in the UK and U.S. and a portfolio of financing mandates exceeding £1.5 billion, the company works across the full project lifecycle from development through to institutional capital formation. Through its U.S. development arm, Global NRG Renewables, the company directly develops and operates clean energy facilities that turn agricultural and organic waste streams into high-value energy commodities, creating long-term economic value for the rural communities they serve.
Carlisle County Judge/Executive Greg Terry spoke on the jobs being created: “This agricultural development is the kind of strategic growth our county needs. We are proud to welcome a project that builds on our local strength and positions us for a brighter, more successful future. We are excited to see this project come to development, and the creation of jobs opportunities within Carlisle County is always a win.”
Philip King, chairman of the Carlisle County Industrial Development Authority, spoke on the rural impact: “In rural communities, economic development must align with our identity and our goals. Agriculture is the backbone of our county, and this project supports that. This new development enhances job opportunities and puts our county in a great economic position. We are fortunate they chose Carlisle County, and we are excited to move forward.”