UGI Utilities has announced the signing of an agreement with Archaea Energy which will see the former accept renewable natural gas (RNG) from the Keystone Landfill located in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. The RNG will be injected into UGI Utilities’ high-pressure natural gas pipeline which is installed across its distribution system in Lackawanna County in the state. The RNG will be processed to meet the utility’s requirements. The project is scheduled to be operational in September 2021.
Once commissioned, the plant will be designed to supply 16,000 Mcf (1000 cubic feet) of RNG per day at a rate of up to 780 Mcf per hour, making it the largest RNG supply point in the United States so far. This supply point will be available for the company, and natural gas suppliers operating on its system with the aim of supplier customers with RNG.
The current move is expected to reduce the release of naturally occurring methane from the Keystone Landfill into the atmosphere. From an environmental perspective, accepting delivery of the RNG will reduce CO2 emissions to the extent of 314,000 metric tons per year. This CO2 reduction is equivalent to curbing emissions of 67,000 passenger vehicles over a year.
Other power industry firms, such as Babcock & Wilcox have been active in the waste-to-energy power plant projects globally for years. There is a belief that the methane removed from landfills will significantly exceed any emissions from the plant.