WM unveils new $55mn RNG facility in Texas

US-based renewable energy company WM on May 22 announced the inauguration of a $55mn renewable natural gas (RNG) facility in Lewisville, Texas, situated just outside of Dallas.

The facility is expected to produce approximately 1.2mn mmBtu/year of RNG, a quantity capable of servicing nearly 55,000 households annually or fuelling up to 1,100 heavy-duty vehicles per day.

This marks WM's second RNG facility in the DFW area, aiming to supply renewable energy to North Texans. The first facility commenced operations in Ferris, Texas, in 2020 at WM’s Skyline RNG facility. It is part of WM’s planned investments in renewable energy, which are projected to surpass $1bn from 2022 through 2026.

The DFW RNG facility utilises landfill gas captured from the WM DFW Landfill as organic matter decomposes, thereby producing RNG. Currently, WM owns or hosts 22 RNG facilities at its landfills, converting landfill gas into pipeline-quality RNG.

As part of its investment plan for 2022-2026, WM anticipates including over 20 RNG facilities, potentially powering up to 1.7mn homes and enabling WM to maximise the allocation of RNG to its natural gas collection fleet. Presently, nearly half of the fuel designated for WM’s natural gas fleet is derived from renewable sources.