Casella Waste Systems Inc., a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company in the Eastern United States, and Waga Energy Inc., the North American arm of French landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) producers and technology providers Waga Energy SA, have announced the start of operations of the RNG production facility at the McKean Landfill in Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania (PA).
The McKean Landfill facility is the third to come online this year, following the successful commissioning of facilities at the Chemung County Landfill and the Hyland Landfill.
Together, the three projects complete the partnership agreement signed in 2023.
Bringing this facility online at our McKean Landfill is another important step in our efforts to recover more value from the materials we manage. Our partnership with Waga Energy has always been focused on leveraging each other’s strengths to drive economic and environmental benefits, and it’s extremely gratifying to see the third facility come online and producing as anticipated, said Ned Coletta, President and CEO of Casella Waste Systems.
The facility uses Waga Energy’s patented WAGABOX technology to upgrade landfill gas into pipeline-quality RNG.
With 2,000 SCFM (3,200 m3/h) of installed processing capacity, McKean can generate up to 407,000 MMBtu (120 GWh) of renewable gas annually.
Production will ramp up progressively as landfill gas volumes increase at the site.
The commissioning of the McKean WAGABOX unit is a strong testament to the commitment and execution capabilities of the Casella and Waga Energy teams. This project also demonstrates the strength of a partnership model that creates long-term value for both partners by transforming landfill gas into a reliable source of renewable energy, said Guénaël Prince, CEO of Waga Energy
The RNG produced on-site is injected directly into the National Fuel Gas network, supplying the region with a renewable alternative to fossil natural gas.
The project is expected to avoid 31,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions each year, according to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
Under the terms of the agreement, Waga Energy fully funded the construction of each facility and will own and operate each of them for 20 years, while Casella and Waga Energy share the revenue generated from RNG sales.
