CSFS: Industrial innovation in food systems - implementation

Applicant eligibility 

The entity’s target facility must be in Minnesota or serve Minnesota, including Tribal lands. The following entities are eligible:

• Food and beverage manufacturer: A company that produces food or beverage products through mechanical, physical, or chemical methods using raw materials and bulk ingredients and standardized processes, specialized equipment, and controlled facility environments. These facilities typically operate continuously or in high-volume batches following strict quality, safety, and regulatory standards with the goal of producing consistent, safe, and commercially distributable products efficiently and at scale. The primary products are intended for human or animal consumption and are produced with the intention of wholesale, distribution, or retail sales.
• Food system organic waste processor: A public or private facility that processes organic waste where at least 50% of the waste processed is derived from the food system or at least 50% of the end products are distributed and used within food production systems. Entities include but are not limited to: a solid waste landfill, wastewater treatment facility, anaerobic digestion facility, biochar production facility, or source-separated organic material (SSOM) compost facility. Dependent of their permit, these facilities may process and manage food system municipal waste or food system industrial waste. Solid waste landfills, SSOMs, and anaerobic digestion facilities typically accept and process food system materials such as wasted food, food scraps, and/or compostable food service ware products. Wastewater facilities may process food system materials such as liquid waste, biosolids, industrial byproducts, and wastewater. Anaerobic digestion facilities that process manure are also considered a food system organic waste processor. 

Project eligibility

Eligible projects include those that reduce GHG emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3); examples include but are not limited to:

Reduction of utility energy demands, such as:

• advanced air conditioning and low global warming potential refrigerants
• boiler upgrades/economizers, condensate return, or steam traps
• distributed energy resources (solar, electric battery storage, thermal battery, or other power generation)
• electrification of equipment (roasters, boilers, dryers, ovens, etc.)
• energy-efficient equipment (high-efficiency electric pumps, motors, compressors, and/or lighting)
• energy-efficient materials for building envelopes or infrastructure
• fuel-switching to low-carbon fuels such as biomass, solar-thermal, renewable natural gas, etc.
• fugitive emissions reduction
• hydrogen-fueled stationary equipment
• industrial heat pumps
• mobile or stationary combustion emissions reduction
• process efficiency or process change
• process water usage reduction
• smart energy systems (building energy management systems, sensors and controls, automatic boiler blowdown, compressed air, etc.)
• utilizing peak-shaving, load-shifting, or curtailed renewable energy
• variable volume or load efficiency equipment
• other energy efficiency technologies as approved by the MPCA

Reduction or recycling of waste, such as:  

• anaerobic digesters
• carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) or carbon management
• combined heat and power
• food waste valorization technologies or food waste recovery equipment
• waste heat recovery technology or systems
• waste reduction (organic, solid, water, or wastewater)  
• other technologies that reduce or recycle waste as approved by the MPCA

In addition to eligible costs as outlined in the Implementation RFP, awardees may now also utilize Technical Assistance and Planning (TAP) services, as outlined in the Implementation RFP, under one award. Eligible TAP service costs must relate to the awarded Implementation project.