A $50 million project in Manatee County, Fla., could make good use of potent landfill gas, turning it into useful fuel for buses and trucks instead of letting it go to waste.
Manatee County and its private partners told WWSB that the Lena Road Landfill facility would be the region's first project of its kind on Florida's west coast.
Here's what to know
At the Lena Road Landfill, Manatee County is working with Nopetro Energy, Johnson Controls, and Mead & Hunt to turn landfill gas into usable fuel with a new renewable natural gas facility.
As WWSB reported, the project would capture methane from the landfill, clean it into fuel, and distribute it through existing natural gas pipelines.
Customers are expected to include operators of bus and truck fleets. Organizers say Nopetro will develop and run the facility, and the company describes the fuel made from landfill gas as a lower-carbon alternative to conventional fuels.
The estimate came from the project partners and was not independently verified. They said the facility's annual emissions reduction could be equivalent to 5.3 million gallons of gasoline.
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More background
Methane is the main gas collected at many landfills. In the partners' estimate, the site would produce enough renewable energy each year to supply more than 4,500 homes, WWSB reported.
Instead of needing a new delivery system, the upgraded gas would enter existing natural gas pipelines before going to end users such as commercial or municipal vehicle fleets.
WWSB also reported that project partners compared the project's environmental benefit to 22,000 acres of forest.
What's being done?
Manatee County is formally collaborating with its partners to move the facility from planning to construction.
Under that arrangement, Nopetro would be responsible for both developing and operating the renewable natural gas plant.
Where can I learn more?
Other projects are looking at possibly cleaner ways to manage landfill gas and other waste streams. These stories cover smarter landfill controls, odor concerns, and new ways to power heavy-duty vehicles with hydrogen.
• In Orange County, Calif., Waste and Recycling plans Smart Landfill System technologies to curb pollution.
• A vehicle manufacturer unveiled America's first hydrogen garbage truck for cleaner heavy-duty waste collection.
• Scientists have developed a breakthrough process turning garbage into hydrogen fuel for transportation.
• In Galena, Kan., residents say rotten-egg landfill odors are causing headaches and safety fears.
• In Germany's Black Forest, researchers are transforming common wood waste into a next-generation fuel.
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