In the United States (US), Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (Casella), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company in the Eastern United States, and Waga Energy Inc., a global expert in the production of renewable natural gas (RNG) from landfill gas (LFG), held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the RNG production facility at the Chemung County Landfill in Elmira, New York.
The facility, which has been successfully turning landfill gas into RNG since January 2026, represents a key milestone in Casella’s efforts to create valuable resources from waste.
We’re excited to celebrate the opening of this facility as it represents a key piece of our strategy coming to life. We made the decision several years ago to find great partners to develop these RNG projects at our facilities rather than invest the capital and embark on projects that are outside the scope of our expertise. This project is a great example of the benefits of that approach as we see the collective expertise of Chemung County, Waga Energy, and our landfill operations team coming together to create value out of the waste we manage, said Ned Coletta, President and CEO of Casella Waste Systems.
Largest WAGABOX unit to date
The facility leverages the “WAGABOX” technology developed and patented by Waga Energy to upgrade landfill gas into pipeline‑quality RNG.
It is also the first WAGABOX unit capable of processing a flow rate of 3,000 scfm, making it the largest unit deployed to date within the fleet.
The RNG produced on-site is injected directly into the Valley Energy natural gas distribution network, supplying the region with a renewable alternative to fossil natural gas.
The facility is designed to generate up to 610,000 MMBtu of RNG annually. It is expected to avoid more than 47,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions each year, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Landfill Gas Energy Benefits Calculator.
Through its first four months, the Chemung RNG facility has performed well during its ramp-up phase and is projected to produce 340,000 MMBtu in year one, equivalent to 2.4 million (US) gallons (≈ 9 million litres) of diesel fuel.
We are honored to celebrate this inauguration alongside Casella, a company whose commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship is truly exemplary. The successful commissioning of the Chemung facility demonstrates the strength of our partnership and Casella’s leadership in renewable energy development. This project showcases how innovative collaboration can turn waste into a valuable resource for the energy transition, benefiting both the environment and local communities, said Guénaël Prince, CEO, Waga Energy.
Under the terms of the agreement, Waga Energy deployed the capital required to fully fund the construction of the facility and will own and operate the Chemung facility for 20 years, while Casella and Waga Energy share the revenue generated from RNG sales.
