Built on People: Noah Pearcy and ESI's Commitment to O&M Excellence

From building RNG plants to leading technical services, Noah Pearcy's career reflects ESI's investment in people, problem solving, and operational excellence.

For Noah Pearcy, operations and maintenance is about more than keeping equipment running. It is about taking ownership, solving problems and being someone your team can count on when things do not go according to plan.

That mindset has carried Noah from the field into leadership and, most recently, into his new role as Technical Services Manager on ESI's O&M team. Along the way, he has built his expertise through hands-on experience across nearly every stage of an RNG facility's lifecycle.

From the Ground Up

Originally from Ohio, Noah started working toward a mechanical engineering degree in Toledo before deciding college was not the right path for him. He became a golf course mechanic and later joined a company that worked on pump stations.

That job unexpectedly introduced him to renewable natural gas. When the company became involved with an engineering group working on RNG projects, they asked for volunteers willing to relocate to North Carolina and help build RNG upgrading facilities. Noah was about 19 years old and knew little about RNG, but he volunteered.

He started as a construction foreman and learned the systems by building them from the ground up. That willingness to learn has since taken him through construction, commissioning, plant operations and regional leadership, eventually leading to his current role in technical services.

Part of what has kept Noah interested in the industry is that there is always something new to figure out.

"We're learning every day," he said.

Growing From the Field Into O&M Leadership

Before joining ESI, Noah worked with equipment manufacturers on commissioning and troubleshooting calls. That work brought him to two North Carolina facilities that were still under construction. A service call led to a conversation with ESI, and within weeks Noah had joined the organization.

He started in onsite operations and eventually moved into regional management, where his responsibilities included uptime, efficiency, operator support, owner communication, regulatory compliance and the daily problem-solving required to keep complex RNG facilities operating.

Now, his move into technical services gives ESI an opportunity to apply that field experience more broadly across its O&M organization.

The Compressor That Went to Ohio

One of the clearest examples of Noah's problem-solving approach came when a critical compressor at one of the facilities failed unexpectedly.

This was not a piece of equipment the plant could simply work around. Without the compressor, the facility could not operate normally, and the financial impact of downtime can add up quickly. Based on Noah's operating experience, an RNG facility gains approximately $200,000 to $300,000 in potential revenue for every day it is running, depending on the facility and market conditions.

Noah told the team to get the skid ready, loaded the failed compressor onto a trailer and drove it to Ohio, where the manufacturers were located. He leaned on relationships he had developed earlier in his career and pushed to get the compressor rebuilt as quickly as possible.

It is the kind of story that says a lot about ESI's approach to O&M. When an issue threatens an asset, identifying the problem is only the beginning. The goal is to find a solution and get the facility back to reliable operation.

Noah describes ESI as a solutions-based company, supported by people, experience and industry relationships that can be called on when a site needs help.

When the Job Became Bigger Than the Plant

Hurricane Helene tested that responsibility in a very different way.

The storm shut down one of the North Carolina facilities for approximately two weeks. The facility was without power for around 10 days, and restoring operations required roads, trailer logistics and the decant operation to come back online as well.

At the same time, the people responsible for the plant were dealing with storm damage at home. Noah lost power for five days, and one operator near the facility was without power for almost three weeks. On Noah's own property, multiple barns had blown over and trees were down.

Noah is also a member of the Burke County search and rescue team. The morning after the storm, he and others began cutting their way into Lenoir. Before going to the facility, he stopped at one of his operator's homes to make sure the team was safe. From there, they continued to the facility and found it was without power but otherwise undamaged.

With cell service down across the area, Noah then drove almost an hour and a half before he found enough service to call and let everyone know that the operators were safe and the facility was intact.

Even while dealing with significant storm damage at home, Noah remained focused on his crew, the facility and keeping the broader team informed. It is a strong example of the responsibility and commitment required to support assets through situations that go far beyond normal operations.

Investing in the People Behind ESI's O&M Performance

Noah's story is part of a larger investment ESI is making in its operations and maintenance team.

ESI's O&M organization includes more than 70 operators backed by leadership with extensive experience across multiple operational disciplines. When an unusual problem arises or a facility needs additional manpower, individual sites can draw on resources and expertise well beyond the people assigned there every day.

ESI also continues to invest in technical development. In mid-August 2026, ESI operators gathered in Nashville for their annual technical training that brought equipment vendors directly to the team for instruction and extended troubleshooting discussions. Operators were able to ask manufacturers the real-world questions they had developed while working with the equipment in the field.

For Noah, that investment matters because ESI's O&M business is ultimately built around people.

"We have people on the ground that provide value to asset owners," he explained. "That's what we do."

If people are the service, investing in their knowledge, experience and development directly strengthens what ESI can deliver to its customers. Noah's own promotion reflects that philosophy. He learned RNG by building facilities, moved into operations, led multiple sites and is now bringing that experience into technical services, where it can support an even broader portion of ESI's O&M organization.

Building the Next Level of O&M Expertise

North Carolina is now home for Noah.

He has been married for almost two years, and on the day of our interview, his daughter turned nine months old.

It is a long way from the 19-year-old from Ohio who volunteered to move south and help build an RNG facility he knew little about. But the same willingness to learn, solve problems and take on new responsibilities has followed him throughout his career.

As Noah steps into technical services, that experience becomes part of ESI's broader O&M capability. Developing people who understand what it takes to build, commission, operate and troubleshoot RNG facilities is critical to maintaining strong performance across a growing portfolio.

For ESI, continued investment in people is not separate from operational excellence. It is how operational excellence is built.

Frequently Asked Questions About ESI Operations & Maintenance

What does ESI's RNG operations and maintenance support include?

ESI supports activities across the full RNG operating process, including gas collection management, equipment maintenance, process optimization, gas quality monitoring, compliance, troubleshooting, pipeline coordination and owner support.

How does ESI support facilities when unexpected equipment problems occur?

Individual facilities can draw on ESI's broader O&M organization, including more than 70 operators, experienced operational leadership, established procedures and relationships with equipment manufacturers and vendors.

Why is uptime so important for an RNG facility?

An RNG asset generates value when it is operating and producing usable gas. Depending on the facility and market conditions, downtime may represent hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential lost revenue per day, making preventive maintenance and rapid troubleshooting critical.

How does ESI invest in O&M training?

ESI provides ongoing technical development for its operators. In August 2026, operators gathered in Nashville for technical training that included direct instruction and troubleshooting sessions with equipment manufacturers.

How does ESI approach operational excellence?

ESI combines experienced operators, preventive maintenance, technical training, established procedures, vendor relationships and hands-on problem-solving to help facilities operate safely, efficiently and reliably.

What makes ESI's O&M model different from simply staffing a facility?

ESI's onsite operators are supported by a larger organization of technical and operational resources. When a challenge arises, a facility can draw on expertise, manpower and manufacturer relationships beyond the people physically onsite, giving asset owners access to a broader support network.

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