A new natural gas plant in Dexter is set to begin operations in the coming weeks
DEXTER, MO (KBSI) – People gathered at Lemons landfill in Dexter to celebrate the opening of a renewable natural gas plant that comes as a joint venture between Archaea Energy and Republic Services and Archaea Energy, a subsidiary of BP.
This is the second renewable natural gas (RNG) plant in the Lightning Renewables joint venture between the companies.
Archaea’s vice president of project execution Greg Blaise said the plant — which will begin operations in the coming weeks — takes gas naturally created by decomposing waste at the landfill and turns it into a pipeline quality natural gas product.
“Currently, landfill gas — bio gas — is flared, so it’s burns,” Blaise said, “and the carbon emissions go directly to the atmosphere. We are reducing the carbon emissions by up to 50% by taking the methane from the gas, separating it and then selling it as a product to the market.”
According to company officials, the Lightning Renewables plant can process up to 2,000 standard cubic feet of landfill gas per minute into RNG. That’s enough gas to heat more than 8,000 homes, annually, according to the EPA’s Landfill Gas Energy Benefits calculator.
Republic Services heartland area president Andrew Wempe said the new plant is a big deal for the community.
“If you think about trash and material that’s discarded in a landfill, you know, that was kind of the final resting spot,” Wempe said. “Well, now, in that cycle, we’re able to extract a little more beneficial use by capturing the methane that is naturally occurring in the decomposition of trash and then using that energy to now power the community.”
The plant created three new full-time jobs. The lead operator, Mike Liles said he expects there could be more work opportunities for the community.
“We have about three employees here but I mean, you have opportunities for outside vendors that we can use,” Liles said. “So it can help the community out in general — electricians, pipefitters, anything like that.”
