Republic Services, a waste collection and disposal company, and Archaea Energy, a renewable natural gas (RNG) producer in the United States, announced plans for an RNG facility at Middle Point Landfill developed through the companies’ Lightning Renewables LLC joint venture. The project will convert the gas that naturally occurs as the waste at Middle Point Landfill decomposes into pipeline-quality RNG that can be used as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels.
After hearing from Rutherford County, Tennessee, officials about their ongoing interest in a local renewable energy project, the Republic-Archaea partnership will help make that idea a reality. “At Republic Services, we’re putting sustainability in action through partnerships and projects like this one at Middle Point Landfill,” said Jamey Amick, area president of Republic Services. “Combined with significant investments we have made in the landfill gas system to control the potential for offsite odor, this project will further propel gas collection at the site.”
The Middle Point Landfill gas-to-RNG project will create clean energy resources, further control for the potential for offsite odor, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while contributing directly to Republic Services’ long-term sustainability goal to beneficially reuse 50% more biogas by 2030. RNG projects bring meaningful local and global environmental benefits with little to no negative impacts for the local community. Using US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, the projected total annual environmental benefits from the project will be equivalent to the carbon sequestered by more than 800,000 acres of US forests in one year.
The previously announced Lightning Renewables LLC joint venture includes plans to develop 39 new RNG projects at landfills owned or operated by Republic Services across the country. The Middle Point project is part of the first phase of development for the joint venture. This RNG partnership builds on a growing slate of environmental commitments by Republic Services, including fleet electrification and investments in plastics circularity.
Republic Services is involved with 77 renewable energy projects at its landfills across the country, which generate electricity as well as RNG and help customers and communities meet their own sustainability goals. When used as a transportation fuel, RNG can reduce emissions by up to 70%. Today, RNG powers 21% of Republic’s fleet.
Archaea operates 13 RNG facilities across the United States and has an RNG development backlog of approximately 90 projects, which it plans to develop and construct over the next several years. Archaea develops, designs, constructs, and operates RNG facilities using an innovative, cost-efficient manufacturing approach to project development, supported by a commercial strategy focused on long-term, fixed-price contracts.
