New Facility Converts Landfill Gas to Renewable Natural Gas
- Editor OGN Daily
- 13 hours ago
- 1 min read
A significant advance in landfill gas to renewable natural gas conversion technology has come on stream at the Roxana Landfill in Illinois.
In a nutshell, according to BioEnergy International, the Roxana Landfill facility captures landfill gas (LFG) and processes it into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas (RNG), a low-carbon transportation fuel; and is one of North America’s largest landfill gas to renewable natural gas conversion projects, with an annual production capacity of 1.4 trillion British thermal units of renewable natural gas.
Put another way, environmental impact calculations suggest that the facility will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 82,000 metric tons annually - equivalent to removing 5,000 passenger vehicles from the road or offsetting the energy consumption of 2,500 homes.
The project is significant in waste-to-energy solutions, demonstrating how landfill gas to renewable natural gas conversion can transform a waste product into a valuable energy resource. Rather than flaring landfill gas - a common practice that wastes potential energy - the facility captures and processes this naturally occurring byproduct into usable fuel for transportation and other applications.
The implementation of the Roxana facility helps clear the path to similar operations in expanding renewable energy infrastructure. As states and municipalities pursue increasingly ambitious clean energy targets, landfill gas to renewable natural gas conversion projects could become essential for regional renewable energy strategies.
Similar installations in Europe, particularly in Germany and Sweden, have demonstrated successful long-term operation, with some facilities achieving payback periods of as low as 5-7 years. The Roxana facility incorporates best practices from these international operations while implementing the latest technology for improved efficiency.