WM celebrated the opening of its new RNG facility on the WM Fairless Landfill complex in Bucks County, Pa. The $131 million WM Fairless Renewable Natural Gas Facility is expected to generate approximately 3 million MMBtu per year of RNG, which is equivalent to the energy needed to power almost 63,000 homes annually. WM has been a leader in the beneficial use of landfill gas for decades. The Fairless facility is WM鈥檚 second renewable energy聽project in eastern Pennsylvania where the company also operates three landfill-gas-to-energy projects.
鈥淲M is proud to bring more renewable energy to eastern Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region as part of our continued sustainability growth strategy,鈥� said Chris Farley, area vice president, WM Greater Mid-Atlantic. 鈥淣ot only has this project helped bolster the local economy by creating jobs, but it also expands WM鈥檚 ability to capture and transform landfill gas into a lower-emission energy source that can power communities and even a portion of our own natural gas truck fleet.鈥�
Tara Hemmer, Chief Sustainability Officer, WM, said, “This group here has such a rich history of community partnership and this project that we have here today is a testament to that. I always say that sustainability is a team sport and this one truly took a village. This investment in this brand new, state-of-the-art natural gas facility is part of a broader platform of sustainability investments that we are making in the company. We’ve committed over $3 billion in investments in sustainability: $1.4 billion in recycling investments and $1.6 billion in RNG investments. This facility is part of 20 that we announced and the 5th that we are bringing online. It is the largest and the most complex.”
Steve Santarsiero, PA State Senator, 10th District, said, “Waste Management has always been a good neighbor here in Bucks County in terms of its involvement from a philanthropic standpoint, jobs created, and its commitmemt to do some tremendous things. This project is an example of that. To really combat climate change and face challenges environmentally, we need a broad portfolio of energy and natural gas. Where we can take what is often viewed as a problem, trash, and turn it into a resource, that is an amazing thing, while putting people to work at the same time. That is a win all-around for our community of Bucks County and our state. For that reason, I am grateful for what WM is doing here, its leadership, and showing that these types of solutions are possible.”
Pat Patterson, Southeast Regional Director, PA Department of Environmental Protection, commented, “This $130 million dollar investment that we see out there is just incredible and we are here to laud the fact that you are going to be able to recover and distribute about 3 million BTUs every year, which is enough to power 63,000 homes or 3,000 waste and recycling vehicles for a full year. This has been a collaborative effort to get this complex constructed and permitted and the work that goes into it on your end is amazing and it is something that the Department is proud of. This company is a global leader in recycling and issues of waste management and now these renewable natural gas facilities. It is truly another feather in your cap. WM is a good neighbor and a member of the community. By investing in renewable natural gas, you’re investing in energy security, local air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
The Fairless RNG Facility processes landfill gas captured from the operating WM Fairless Landfill and the closed GROWS-North Landfill, both located a short distance from the plant. Once processed, the RNG is pushed directly into natural gas pipelines to provide a lower-emission energy source to the community.
WM has one of the largest landfill gas-to-energy platforms in North America and has been a renewable energy player for nearly 40 years. This project is part of WM鈥檚 enterprise-wide plan to invest more than $1.6 billion in building 20 new, WM-owned renewable natural gas facilities between 2022 through 2026. Eight of these plants have gone into operation, and the new facilities, once operational, are expected to generate enough energy to power 1.7 million homes and to maximize the use of RNG within WM鈥檚 natural gas collection fleet. Today, nearly half of the fuel allocated to WM鈥檚 natural gas fleet comes from renewable sources.
WM鈥檚 Greater Mid-Atlantic Area is the company鈥檚 operating territory that includes eastern and central Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York City and Long Island.