Ameresco and Republic Services have begun operation of a new biogas plant at the Upper Rock Island Landfill in East Moline, Illinois. The facility converts landfill waste gas into renewable natural gas(RNG), a low-carbon energy source that is increasingly in demand.
Emissions conversion in the new biogas plant
The plant was designed to process 2,000 scfm of gas, and annually produces more than 500,000 Dekatherms of pipeline-quality RNG. It is an important representation of contribution to sustainable transportation and other industrial uses, replacing polluting fuels.
The new Ameresco-owned asset enables the avoidance of more than 27,000 metric tons of CO₂ each year, equivalent to the carbon capture capacity of more than 300,000 acres of forest. It is also a strategy in the decarbonization agenda of both companies, which prioritize environmental efficiency and the circular economy.
This is the sixteenth joint project between Ameresco and Republic Services, consolidating a strategic alliance to accelerate sustainable energy solutions. The renewable energy plant supports plant supports Illinois’ statewide goals of 40% energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
Ameresco’s president of renewable fuels, Michael Bakas, mentioned that this plant is part of a scalable model of decentralized energy infrastructure. For its part, Republic Services reaffirmed its goal of increasing biogas recovery by 50% by 2030.
Source and photo: Ameresco