Written By: Prince William County
Project Background
Currently, most of the LFG from Prince William County Sanitary Landfill is being used for electricity generation and some is being flared without environmental benefit.
The new RNG facility will eliminate combustion of LFG in the flares and the engine facility, instead converting the LFG to consumer-grade RNG with a 95% conversion efficiency. This represents an improvement in conversion efficiency by ~60% compared to the engine facility.
At full output, the RNG facility will produce approximately 12.4 million gas gallon equivalents (GGE) of RNG per year which will be used as vehicle fuel or to provide energy to homes and business.
The end use of the RNG off-site will create additional environmental benefits by replacing fossil fuels.
Overview of Emission Reduction
The facility will result in a significant reduction of air pollutant emissions at the County landfill:
Landfill emissions are reduced because the RNG plant converts the LFG into RNG with a 95% conversion efficiency with RNG transported offsite for beneficial use.
The facility will allow the capture and processing of nearly all LFG and eliminate the combustion of LFG (and the need for increased flaring).
The facility will reduce overall local emissions of pollutants like CO, SO2, NOx and VOC at the landfill by over 90%
This facility will provide substantial greenhouse gas reductions:
The total equivalent emissions reduced will be approximately 89,000 tons/year of CO2
Avoiding GHG emissions equivalent to achieving zero scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from approximately 950 trucks
Will help meet County Strategic Plan Sustainable Growth objectives and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sources (SG2.E) and to increase the usage of renewable energy sources (SG2.C)
Overview of Renewable Natural Gas Line
The RNG will be transported along a 7-mile-long route utilizing an existing electrical right of way(ROW) owned by Dominion Energy in order to limit the amount of land disturbance for landowners adjacent to the proposed natural gas line.
The route currently being evaluated was considered to be the least disruptive to landowners because it parallels an existing transmission corridor.
The 8-inch diameter pipe will run underground from the Prince William Sanitary Landfill to a gas utility distribution network interconnect.
The RNG will then flow through an existing gas utility distribution network to end users.
The natural gas line will meet or exceed all Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration(PHMSA) safety standards, as well as meeting all related standards set by the gas utility.
These standards are extremely rigorous and are created to ensure continuous monitoring, testing, and inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards.
The entire operation is highly safe and is no different from other natural gas lines supplying gas to residential/business users.
Next Steps in Renewable Natural Gas Lines
OPAL Fuels is reviewing multiple routes simultaneously. Advice from consultants is that the proposed gas line route was least invasive.
As we progress in our review and assessment of alternative routes, we will continue to engage with the community and all stakeholders to determine the best outcome.
If there are concerns or questions that a landowner has regarding the survey or the proposed gas line, OPAL Fuels would be happy to schedule time to meet with the landowner to further discuss the survey process and what may be able to be done to mitigate the landowner’s concerns.
OPAL Fuels can be reached at information@opalfuels.com
