EDL and JV partners celebrate completion of largest renewable natural gas plant in Indiana, USA
On 3 March 2020, EDL and joint venture partners Kinetrex Energy and South Side Landfill celebrated the opening of the Indy High BTU plant at the Indianapolis South Side Landfill. The plant, which will be fully operational March 20, will convert landfill methane gas into approximately 8 million gallons of pipeline-quality renewable natural gas (RNG) each year, reducing greenhouse gas air emissions in Central Indiana, developing a local renewable resource and lowering fuel costs. Indy High BTU is the largest RNG plant in Indiana.
“This is an exciting day for our city,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, who performed the ribbon cutting honors. “We are pleased to see Kinetrex Energy, a homegrown-Indianapolis company, spearheading the effort to provide cleaner, renewable fuel for transportation across the Midwest.”
With construction now complete, Indy High BTU will begin supplying Kinetrex Energy with RNG, which Kinetrex will turn into liquefied natural gas (LNG) and sell to Midwest transportation fleets. Kinetrex recently announced a six-year agreement with UPS to supply the global shipping company with up to 52.5 million gallons of LNG for its Class 8, LNG-powered fleets in Chicago, Toledo, Columbus, St. Louis and Indianapolis. LNG engines have 90% lower emissions than the cleanest diesel.
“Indy High BTU is a major milestone for Kinetrex Energy, our partners and central Indiana,” said Kinetrex Energy President and CEO Aaron Johnson. “The plant strengthens our position as leaders in the creation of renewable fuel and natural gas delivery. The RNG from the landfill will replace over 8 million gallons of diesel. RNG is cheaper than diesel and significantly reduces the emission of methane and other greenhouse gases.”
The decomposition of organic landfill material creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas if released into the atmosphere. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, methane is 28 times stronger than carbon dioxide. The plant’s reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is equivalent to removing up to 19,000 passenger cars from the road each year.
“We are proud to partner with Kinetrex Energy and EDL to make this project possible,” said South Side Landfill President Mike Balkema. “South Side Landfill has been proactively capturing gas at the landfill for commercial use for more than 30 years, and this is the latest step in reducing emissions to make our city safer and healthier for our residents.”
“Indy High BTU will reduce methane emissions by approximately 17,000 tons per year, and carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 41,000 tons per year — which is equivalent to emissions from almost 47 million gallons of gasoline consumption,” said EDL Head of North American Operations, Central Region Jim Grant. “We are excited to harness the full potential of RNG to help decarbonize the transportation industry.”
