BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Waga Energy will convert landfill gas into renewable natural gas, offsetting significant CO2 emissions and improving air quality in Kern County.
- Kern County Public Works selects Waga Energy to upgrade landfill gas to renewable natural gas (RNG).
- The project aims to offset 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions and improve local air quality.
- Waga Energy will purify methane from the Bena Landfill and inject it into a pipeline for use.
- The county will receive $5 million to support ongoing landfill operations and compliance.
- The project is expected to be operational by 2027.
Broadcast Transcript:
Landfill gas could be upgraded to renewable natural gas in the near future. This could mean a decrease in using fossil fuels.
Last month Kern County Public Works selected Waga Energy to operate a renewable natural gas production unit at Bena Landfill. Waga Energy is a company that upgrades landfill bio-gas into RNG - renewable natural gas. What they do is recover the methane at landfills and purify it, inject it into a pipeline and it then becomes renewable natural gas.
Waga Energy says the University of California is going to use the gas while Kern County will receive some of the revenue.
Brandon Fontes is the engineering manager for the Solid Waste Division and he says, "The upfront money that will be given to the county is 5 million dollars and those costs will go to help offset current operations to continue to develop the landfill in such ways that were compliant with the gas regulations and air pollution regulations."
The Bena Landfill is the largest refuse disposal in the county. According to the county, Bena takes in about 500,000 tons of disposal and waste annually. Fontes says that over time, the landfill decomposes, releasing gases that could be harmful to the atmosphere, so they capture these gases and burn any harmful ones that could pollute the atmosphere. That's where the Waga Box comes in.
Tanguy Largeau is the commercial VP, for Waga Energy and he says, "Actually the methane we inject in the pipeline is exactly the same composition as fossil natural gas except now it comes from a renewable resource."
They say this project will offset approximately 30,000 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions annually and improve air quality.
Waga Energy says this project plan is to be commissioned by 2027.
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