Vision RNG and WIN Waste Innovations have established a partnership to build two sites for converting landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) in Ohio.
The projects will generate over 2.7 million metric British thermal units of RNG each year, enough to heat 35,000 homes annually, and the companies plan to more than double this amount in the next 11 years. The new sites, expected to be among the largest RNG projects in the United States, should avoid about 120,000 tons of carbon emissions each year once commissioned.
Landfills are known to emit methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that is up to 80 times more potent than carbon emissions. Through Vision RNG’s LFG to RNG process, methane from landfills may instead be captured and made usable for fueling homes, vehicles, and factories. Further, customers in the transportation fuel market looking to reduce carbon emissions may also benefit from using this generated RNG to power vehicles. Overall, the projects represent emissions reduction equivalent to about 12 million gallons of gas or 250,000 barrels of oil each year, according to the companies.
“These projects are the culmination of a massive undertaking to embed sustainability into every facet of our company’s operations,” said Dan Mayo, CEO of WIN Waste Innovations. “Turning the greenhouse gasses that are a normal byproduct of end disposal into renewable fuel exemplifies our mission to invest in more environmentally friendly practices while providing the essential waste services our communities need. We are delighted to partner with VRNG to create two of the most technologically and environmentally advanced landfills in the world.”
The two new LFG to RNG sites will be located at WIN Waste’s Seneca County, Ohio, landfill and its Tunnel Hill Reclamation landfill in Perry County, Ohio.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, for every 100 pounds of municipal solid waste produced in the country, about 85 pounds of it may be burned as fuel to generate electricity. Waste-to-energy sites, such as the two projects at hand, are also able to reduce waste volume by about 87%.
In addition to managing landfills, WIN Waste offers a Curb-to-Grid service, which takes waste from a given area it serves and transforms it into energy to power the same community. The company recovers recyclable materials from collected waste, then converts the remaining waste into power, also allowing customers to visualize their impact with its Sustainability Calculator tool.
Increased waste generation associated with the modern economy has presented a risk for human health and worldwide ecosystems, according to the UN Environmental Programme, and solid waste contributes to about 5% of global emissions. When waste cannot be avoided, recovering it for use as energy is considered one of the most efficient waste management strategies, and it may help reduce reliance on fossil fuels in the process.
