With a new chief executive at the helm, one of the world’s largest on-farm biodigester operators is targeting expanded output, new revenue streams and a multi-site growth strategy. Christopher J. Pino tells Bioenergy Insight about his plans.
BioTown Biogas (BTB) has named Christopher J. Pino as its new chief executive officer, bringing nearly 15 years of energy infrastructure investment experience from South Jersey Industries (SJI) to the Indiana-based renewable gas platform.
Pino’s background spans mergers and acquisitions and corporate development in the waste-to-energy sector – experience he believes maps directly onto the challenges and opportunities facing BTB. ‘BioTown Biogas has put an excellent foundation in place to set the stage for outsized growth in 2026 and beyond,’ he says. ‘The company has smart, motivated people who understand the complex waste-to-energy landscape, and investors, in Green Rock Energy Partners and BioTown Ag, that believe in the mission of creating renewable energy that powers the future.’
What sealed the decision for Pino was BTB’s platform flexibility. ‘The ability to use multiple feedstocks, create power or RNG and recycle other byproducts all in one platform is remarkable,’ he says. ‘BTB is truly driving innovation in the space.’
Optimising Reynolds first
The company operates one of the largest on-farm biodigesters in the world at its Reynolds, Indiana site. Pino’s immediate priorities are firmly rooted there. ‘We are focused on expanding the scale and production output of the site and leveraging rail to expand the potential radius for waste procurement,’ he explains. Once that work is complete, he sees a clear path to replication: ‘I could see BTB making similar investments to recreate its success at other sites.’
Feedstock diversification is central to the model. BTB currently processes food waste, dairy manure and beef manure, and Pino views that breadth as a competitive advantage rather than an operational complication. ‘Each feedstock can be allocated to its premium market while providing revenue diversification and optionality,’ he says, adding that the company will continue to evaluate additional waste streams.
Stacking revenue streams
Beyond renewable natural gas (RNG) and power generation, Pino is focused on unlocking value from the full digestion process. One avenue is the solid fraction of digestate: by removing moisture content from the fibrous material, BTB can sell it to end users for a range of applications. Another is monetising the carbon dioxide produced during anaerobic digestion. The company is also evaluating further investment to refine byproducts into premium outputs.
‘Stacking multiple revenue streams on top of energy production is a key focus of BTB’s platform,’ Pino says. ‘Capitalising on additional revenue streams, increased production capacity and operational efficiencies will be drivers of near-term success.’
Policy uncertainty remains a headwind
Like many in the US RNG sector, Pino is candid about the difficulties created by regulatory uncertainty. The Inflation Reduction Act introduced promising incentives – including investment tax credits and the Section 45Z production tax credit – but delayed implementation has blunted their effect. ‘Investment in RNG has been challenging over the past few years due to uncertainty around regulatory and policy issues,’ he says. ‘Fast forward to 2026, and we are just getting details on what 45Z could mean for RNG – and we still don’t have the complete picture.’
Greater transparency around federal and state monetisation pathways would do much to restore investor confidence, he argues. He also sees opportunity in expanding RNG markets beyond transportation into maritime fuel, voluntary carbon abatement purchases and use as a feedstock for other fuels.
Lessons from the JV playbook
Pino’s time on the board of Catamaran Renewables – a joint venture between SJI and Captona – shaped his thinking on collaboration. The partnership combined SJI’s commodities and portfolio management expertise with Captona’s operational experience in renewables, enabling the JV to acquire and operate several premium assets. ‘Companies can use their strengths to create something greater than the sum of parts,’ he says – a lesson he intends to carry into any future collaborations at BTB.
The three-to-five-year vision
Looking ahead, Pino describes a growth arc that moves from site optimisation to multi-site expansion, with BTB’s Reynolds operations serving as the proof of concept for a broader rollout. The ambition extends beyond commercial growth. ‘BTB is committed to transforming agricultural and organic waste into sustainable and reliable renewable energy which reduces the country’s carbon footprint and drives forward toward carbon-negative solutions that benefit communities,’ he says.
For a sector accustomed to policy headwinds and slow-moving infrastructure cycles, it is the kind of long-term conviction that investors – and the agricultural communities supplying BTB’s feedstocks – will be watching closely.
Building on solid foundations: BioTown Biogas appoints new CEO
