Brightmark Energy
Brightmark Energy is a circular waste solutions company that uses patented pyrolysis technology to convert mixed post-use plastics (#1–7) into ISCC PLUS-certified PyBright oil and CarbonBright byproduct, while co-operating 30+ dairy-to-renewable-natural-gas facilities through a Chevron joint venture.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Brightmark Energy does
Brightmark Energy is a San Francisco-based, privately held circular waste solutions company founded in 2016 by Bob Powell. It commercializes a patented Plastics Renewal® pyrolysis process that converts post-use plastics of all resin types (#1–7), including difficult-to-recycle co-mingled streams, into two ISCC PLUS-certified outputs: PyBright™ pyrolysis oil, a circular petrochemical feedstock sold to resin producers and converters, and CarbonBright, a powder byproduct sold into R&D applications such as asphalt modification, wastewater filtration, and rubber/plastic fillers. The company's technical differentiation rests on processing mixed plastics without pre-sorting, peer-reviewed LCA validation of 39–139% carbon footprint reduction and 82% energy savings versus virgin production, and full-chain ISCC PLUS certification supporting Extended Producer Responsibility claims for brand owners. Brightmark also operates a parallel renewable natural gas (RNG) business through Brightmark RNG Holdings LLC, a joint venture with Chevron U.S.A. Inc. that runs more than 30 dairy-based anaerobic digestion circularity centers across the United States, representing the largest single revenue vehicle in the portfolio.
The business model is built on direct enterprise sales of PyBright and CarbonBright to resin producers and industrial buyers, direct supply contracts with healthcare facilities, material recovery facilities, manufacturers, and government/marine accounts for plastic waste feedstock, and shared economics from RNG production through the Chevron JV. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales for large offtake and supply agreements with community-based collection channels (schools, municipalities, events) for feedstock diversification. Active or planned facilities include the operational Ashley, Indiana circularity center (100,000 tons/year, $138.3M Phase 1 investment), the under-development flagship Thomaston, Georgia center (400,000 tons/year, $950M commitment), and a planned Australia facility in the Parkes Special Activation Precinct, NSW, with the NSW Government and Cleanaway. Customer segments span healthcare and medical device manufacturers (Lewis Salvage, Jamar Health, Contec), MRFs, industrial/manufacturing facilities, dairy farms (via RNG JV), educational institutions, and government/conservation organizations (NOAA Florida Keys).
Brightmark Energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brightmark Energy
- Legal name
- Brightmark LLC
- Website
- https://brightmark.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Brightmark Energy is a circular waste solutions company that uses patented pyrolysis technology to convert mixed post-use plastics (#1–7) into ISCC PLUS-certified PyBright oil and CarbonBright byproduct, while co-operating 30+ dairy-to-renewable-natural-gas facilities through a Chevron joint venture.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brightmark Energy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advanced Plastics Recycling and Renewable Energy
- NAICS
- Petrochemical Manufacturing (32511)
- SIC
- Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chemical/Advanced Plastics Recycling (Depolymerization, Pyrolysis, Solvolysis) (IMANAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Plastic-to-Fuel/Oil & Feedstock Upgrading (Naphtha/Cracker Feed) (EUAIAKAL)
Keywords
Where Brightmark Energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Brightmark Energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- PyBright Pyrolysis Oil Sales: Sale of ISCC PLUS-certified pyrolysis oil (PyBright) to resin producers and converters for use as circular petrochemical feedstock to create new plastic products.
- CarbonBright R&D Materials: Sale of CarbonBright circular byproduct for research and development applications including asphalt modifiers, wastewater filtration, and industrial fillers.
- RNG Production and Sales: Renewable natural gas production through anaerobic digestion of dairy farm waste via Brightmark RNG Holdings joint venture with Chevron, generating RNG for sale into energy markets.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Brightmark Energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brightmark operates Plastics Renewal® circularity centers that use patented pyrolysis to convert post-use plastics (mixed resin types #1-7) into ISCC PLUS-certified circular feedstocks—PyBright™ pyrolysis oil for resin producers and CarbonBright byproduct for industrial R&D. The company also operates more than 30 dairy-based anaerobic digestion facilities (joint venture with Chevron) producing renewable natural gas.
Product overview
Brightmark Energy operates a portfolio of circular waste solutions centered on its proprietary Plastics Renewal® technology—a patented pyrolysis process that converts post-use plastics into circular hydrocarbon feedstocks. The core product offerings include PyBright™ (ISCC PLUS-certified pyrolysis oil used as circular petrochemical feedstock) and CarbonBright (circular byproduct for R&D applications). The company operates multiple Circularity Centers: the operational Ashley, Indiana facility processing 100,000 tons/year, the flagship Thomaston, Georgia center under development with 400,000+ ton capacity, and more than 30 RNG facilities converting agricultural waste to renewable natural gas via anaerobic digestion. Specialized programs target medical plastics, materials recovery facilities, schools, and marine/ocean plastic waste.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plastics Renewal® Patented pyrolysis process that converts post-use plastics—including all resin types #1-7 co-mingled without pre-sorting, flexible films, Styrofoam, and multi-layer materials—into ISCC PLUS-certified circular hydrocarbon feedstocks (PyBright pyrolysis oil and CarbonBright byproduct) for use in new plastic and industrial products.
- PyBright™ Pyrolysis Oil
Quantifiable outcome
- 39-139% carbon footprint reduction vs virgin production (peer-reviewed LCA)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Brightmark Energy
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Brightmark Energy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Brightmark Energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and secondary.
- Lewis SalvagecoreStrategic partnership with independently-owned recycling company in Warsaw, Indiana to recycle medical and orthopedic implant plastics. Partnership surpassed 1 million pounds of plastics recycled, diverting waste from landfills and incinerators.
- ChevronflagshipBrightmark RNG Holdings LLC is a joint venture between Brightmark and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. focused on renewable natural gas production through anaerobic digestion of dairy farm waste. Partnership expanding to Michigan with five new projects in western Michigan, second-largest RNG project to date.
- NOAA Florida Keys National Marine SanctuaryflagshipFirst-of-its-kind partnership to recycle marine buoys and downlines, diverting plastics from oceans and landfills. Supports ocean conservation while providing circular solution for traditionally non-recyclable marine equipment.
- Jamar Health ProductscorePartnership to recycle PATRAN® slide sheets and other medical plastic waste into circular products. Addresses sustainability goals for healthcare industry while reducing environmental impact.
- Contec Inc.secondaryPartnership to recycle plastic packaging materials from contamination control products used in pharmaceutical, medical device, and semiconductor manufacturing cleanrooms.
- Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC)coreHPRC member collaborating on advanced recycling of hospital waste. Participated in multi-year project assessing feasibility of advanced recycling for mixed plastics from pre-surgical and laboratory areas.
- Guy Harvey FoundationcoreMarine science curriculum partnership for K-5 and high school students, educating on plastic pollution impacts. Includes beach cleanup events and curriculum translated into Spanish for broader accessibility.
- Frost Museum of Science (Frost Science)secondaryConservation partnership including volunteer habitat restoration, student education programs, beach cleanups, and environmental stewardship initiatives in Miami-Dade County.
- Downtown Fort WaynesecondaryCommunity partnership for plastic recycling at events including Lunch on the Square, DORA program, and Holly Shopping collection. Engages local community in recycling initiatives.
- Country Meadow ElementarysecondaryEducational partnership with Ashley, Indiana school featuring first-of-its-kind recycling program. Students learn about advanced recycling while diverting plastic waste from landfills.
- Drawdown GeorgiasecondaryMember of Drawdown Georgia Business Compact advancing statewide decarbonization and recycling initiatives in Georgia.
- RecycleForcesecondaryPartnership with company dedicated to recycling material and lives, supporting workforce development through environmental programs.
- CleanawaysecondaryAustralian waste management company collaborating on advanced plastics recycling initiatives in Australia alongside Viva Energy and other partners.
- Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW)coreMember of global organization committed to ending plastic waste in the environment through infrastructure development, education, and innovation.
- Georgia Recycling CoalitioncoreLevel One partner since 2021 supporting conferences, recycling initiatives, and educational programs. Partner for Thomaston facility development.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Brightmark Energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Loop Industries: Focused on depolymerization (PET-to-monomer) rather than pyrolysis. Adjacent competitor in the chemical recycling space targeting the same resin-producer customers with a different technical pathway for circular feedstocks.
- Carbios: French biotech company using enzymatic depolymerization to recycle PET into virgin-equivalent monomers. Competes for the same brand-owner/resin-producer demand for circular plastics via a different (bio-based) chemical recycling route.
Direct peers
- Nexus Circular: U.S.-based advanced recycling company using pyrolysis-like thermal conversion of post-consumer films and packaging into circular feedstocks. Directly comparable to Brightmark in feedstock type (mixed/film plastics) and end product (pyrolysis oil for crackers).
- Plastic Energy: UK-headquartered chemical recycling company using patented pyrolysis to convert end-of-life plastics into TACOIL, a feedstock for new plastics. Direct competitor to Brightmark's Plastics Renewal® with overlapping customer base of resin producers seeking circular feedstock.
- Renewlogy: U.S.-based advanced recycling startup using pyrolysis to convert mixed plastics (including films and multilayers) into petrochemical feedstocks. Closely comparable to Brightmark in feedstock flexibility and end-market focus.
- Agilyx (BASF): Norway-based pioneer in pyrolysis-based plastic-to-feedstock technology, recently partnered with BASF. Direct peer to Brightmark, offering proprietary pyrolysis systems and licensing to convert mixed waste plastics into circular feedstock oils.
Broad incumbents
- Eastman Chemical Company: Operates a major polyester renewal (gasification/methanolysis) recycling facility in Kingsport, TN, producing circular feedstocks for specialty plastics. Comparable as a large incumbent using chemical recycling to convert mixed waste plastics into virgin-equivalent monomers and feedstocks.
- Shell (Chemical Recycling): Investing in pyrolysis-based advanced recycling at facilities in the U.S. and Europe to produce circular feedstocks for cracker units. Comparable as a major integrated energy/petrochemical incumbent entering the same chemical recycling category as Brightmark.
- ExxonMobil (Advanced Recycling): Operates one of the world's largest advanced recycling facilities at Baytown, TX, using pyrolysis to process mixed plastics. Broad incumbent competitor that, like Brightmark, sells pyrolysis oil to petrochemical crackers, but at far larger scale and with integrated refining assets.
Regional players
- Cleanaway Waste Management: Australian waste management company that is Brightmark's named partner for the Parkes, NSW Circularity Center. Comparable as a regional waste services partner and feedstock supplier with overlapping collection capabilities in Australia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Brightmark Energy social profiles
Digital presenceBrightmark Energy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Brightmark Energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brightmark Energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Brightmark Energy subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Brightmark Energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brightmark Energy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brightmark Energy
What does Brightmark Energy do?
Brightmark operates Plastics Renewal® circularity centers that use patented pyrolysis to convert post-use plastics (mixed resin types #1-7) into ISCC PLUS-certified circular feedstocks—PyBright™ pyrolysis oil for resin producers and CarbonBright byproduct for industrial R&D. The company also operates more than 30 dairy-based anaerobic digestion facilities (joint venture with Chevron) producing renewable natural gas.
Is Brightmark Energy a public or private company?
Brightmark Energy is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Brightmark Energy founded?
Brightmark Energy was founded in 2016. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Brightmark Energy based?
Brightmark Energy is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brightmark Energy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. PyBright Pyrolysis Oil Sales are the primary driver. The others are carbonBright R&D Materials and RNG Production and Sales.
Who are Brightmark Energy's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Loop Industries and Carbios. Direct peers are Nexus Circular, Plastic Energy, Renewlogy and Agilyx (BASF). Broad incumbents are Eastman Chemical Company, Shell (Chemical Recycling) and ExxonMobil (Advanced Recycling). Cleanaway Waste Management is listed as a regional player.
Does Brightmark Energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brightmark Energy.
What industry is Brightmark Energy in?
Brightmark Energy's product category is Advanced Plastics Recycling and Renewable Energy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANAMAD, Chemical/Advanced Plastics Recycling (Depolymerization, Pyrolysis, Solvolysis), with a secondary code of EUAIAKAL, Plastic-to-Fuel/Oil & Feedstock Upgrading (Naphtha/Cracker Feed). Its NAICS code is 32511 and its SIC code is 2860.