Republic Services, Inc. and Archaea Energy, Inc. have launched a joint venture to develop 39 RNG projects across the U.S. The partnership will convert landfill gas into pipeline-quality RNG that can be used for a variety of applications to displace gas from fossil fuels. The initiative is expected to generate substantial progress towards Republic's long-term sustainability goal to beneficially reuse 50 percent more biogas by 2030.
"Sustainability is a platform for growth at Republic, and our continued investment in landfill gas-to-energy projects delivers meaningful environmental and economic benefits to our stakeholders," said Jon Vander Ark, Republic Services' president and chief executive officer. "Market demand for renewable natural gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is growing significantly, and providing additional sources of RNG furthers Republic's ambitious sustainability goals, while also helping customers and communities meet their own climate action goals."
Archaea Energy will develop, engineer, construct, and operate the RNG facilities, which will be located at Republic Services' landfills in 19 states. Construction is slated to begin on projects in late 2022, with completion and commissioning of the projects planned through 2027. When fully operational, the 39 projects are expected to generate more than 12.5 million MMBtu of RNG annually. The joint venture has signed a gas sale agreement with Republic to provide for the long-term ability to process landfill gas and sell RNG and related environmental attributes.
Archaea Energy will contribute approximately $800 million, and Republic will contribute approximately $300 million for a total investment of approximately $1.1 billion into the joint venture over the course of five years.
Archaea develops, designs, constructs, and operates RNG facilities utilizing a cost-efficient manufacturing approach to project development which is supported by a commercial strategy focused on long-term, fixed-price contracts.
As a low-carbon fuel, RNG displaces a meaningful amount of greenhouse gas emissions and is increasingly being recognized as a near-term climate strategy to lower the carbon footprint of existing energy assets. Decarbonization efforts are expected to propel the demand for RNG, with landfill gas providing greater scale and predictability than other sources for reliable renewable energy production.
The strategic partnership with Archaea Energy is expected to expand Republic Services' renewable energy portfolio to more than 100 projects. It builds on a growing slate of environmental commitments by Republic, including fleet electrification and investments in plastics circularity.
