In the United States (US), Kern County Public Works, a department of the County of Kern, California (CA), has selected France-headed Waga Energy SA, a global leader in the production of renewable natural gas (RNG) from landfills, to build, own, operate, and maintain an RNG production unit at its Bena Landfill in Bakersfield.
Kern County Public Works selected Waga Energy to upgrade landfill gas (LFG) at its Bena Landfill into pipeline-quality RNG following a competitive Request for Proposals process.
This project will utilize the WAGABOX technology, developed and patented by Waga Energy, to upgrade biogas into RNG.
By combining membrane filtration with cryogenic distillation, the WAGABOX maximizes the renewable energy production of landfills by ensuring the production of pipeline-quality RNG, regardless of landfill gas (LFG) variations in flow rate and composition.
Once operational, the WAGABOX unit, with a capacity to process 3,000 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) of LFG, will produce more than 550,000 MMBtu (160 GWh) of RNG per year over the term of the agreement, delivering gas to the local Kinder Morgan pipeline and providing the community with a reliable and renewable source of energy.
This agreement supports advancing environmental stewardship at our Bena Landfill, while creating value for our community, said Lisa Shreder, Assistant Director at Kern County Public Works.
RNG offtake in place
The project will offset approximately 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions annually and improve the region’s air quality by capturing methane, a major air pollutant, and purifying it into RNG.
By producing pipeline-quality RNG, the project supports the circular economy and decreases reliance on fossil fuels with a local and renewable source of energy.
The University of California (UC), a leading public research university and the third-largest employer in California, will purchase the RNG produced through a 20-year off-take agreement.
This partnership plays a pivotal role in supporting the UC’s ambitious sustainability agenda, aligning with regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and utilize local alternatives to fossil fuels.
The WAGABOX® facility at the Bena Landfill is Waga Energy’s third project of RNG production in California to date and is scheduled to be commissioned in 2027.
We are thrilled to develop a third WAGABOX unit in California, a state with a strong decarbonization ambition, and with immense potential for our solution. This partnership with Kern County Public Works and the University of California marks an important milestone in our development. Supplying RNG produced in California for local use by the UC highlights the success of public-private collaboration in advancing the state’s ambitious decarbonization goals concludes Guénaël Prince, CEO of Waga Energy USA.
