Archaea Energy, a subsidiary of bp (NYSE: BP), and UGI Energy Services, LLC (“UGIES”), a subsidiary of UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) recently celebrated the start-up of their joint venture’s renewable natural gas (RNG) plant in Hegins, Pennsylvania. The companies formed the Aurum Renewables joint venture (JV) to develop and own the RNG plant, which is adjacent to the Commonwealth Environmental Systems landfill in Schuylkill County. The plant came online this September.
“Pennsylvania is a critical state for Archaea and it is playing a pivotal role in the energy transition. The state’s robust infrastructure and commitment to sustainable development make it an ideal location for advancing RNG technologies. This is the third RNG plant we’ve brought online in the Keystone State, and we look forward to development,” Archaea Energy CEO Starlee Sykes said.
Archaea built and operates the JV’s plant which uses the Archaea Modular Design (AMD). Traditionally, RNG plants have been custom-built, but the AMD allows plants to be built on skids with interchangeable components. Using a standardized modular design can lead to faster builds than previous industry standards. This AMD plant will convert landfill gas, a natural byproduct of the decomposition of waste, collected from the Commonwealth Environmental Systems landfill into RNG, the use of which can lead to local air quality benefits and diversity of domestic energy production, according to the US EPA.
“We are pleased to see Aurum Renewables come online as this facility will provide communities with valuable use for landfill gas,” said Joseph Hartz, President of UGI Energy Services. “UGI is investing in differentiated and innovative energy solutions, which includes RNG. With the help of our partners, we are creating low carbon energy for Pennsylvania while helping our customers achieve their own sustainability goals.”
As UGI continues to see a demand for RNG solutions from our customers, we remain committed to investing in reliable energy solutions to meet our customers’ needs. Aurum Renewables provides communities a valuable use for the landfill gas. When the plant is fully operational, the facility has a capacity of producing 5,000 MMBtu per day of pipeline quality RNG – enough RNG to fuel 39,000 Pennsylvania homes.
Investing in Renewables
At UGI, we practice responsibility throughout our business. As a distributor of our nation’s most affordable, efficient and cleanest fossil fuels, we provide the foundation to power businesses and enrich the lives of our customers. We are well positioned to become a leader in the future of renewable energy and continue to focus on reducing our emissions, reducing our customers’ emissions, and investing in alternative energy solutions. Read more in our latest ESG report.
