Morrow Energy steps in to help Texas city get WTE plant

Dive Brief:

The city of Edinburg, TX has entered into an agreement with Midland, TX-based Morrow Energy to transmit and sell methane gas from the city's landfill for in-state or out-of-state energy markets. The 20-year agreement, with an optional 10-year renewal, includes construction of an $8 million gas processing facility.
The city said it will save $350,000 by shifting responsibility for monitoring and securing operations during gas flaring at the landfill to Morrow. And royalties to the city will be an estimated $332,000 a year. The city has spent $250,000 for Morrow Renewables to improve its operation in anticipation of the production plant, and the company agreed to pay the city $1 a month in rent.
A 2010 agreement between the city and another company fell through. Since then, the city has mostly used the gas flaring technique at the landfill.

Dive Insight:

A report by city staff for City Council members says the project plans to process landfill methane gas into a High BTU product, which it called "pipeline quality" natural gas. The company is also permitted to generate Biomass gas, or Medium BTU fuel that is commonly used in industrial operations.

City Manager Ramiro Garza told the Herald the project "brings revenue to the city and it's a new investment, too."

Companies are finding new and innovative ways to produce renewable energy from municipal solid waste and landfill gas, which is pushing the industry toward a more sustainable future. By building waste-to-energy plants, focusing on alternative WTE methods, and testing various technologies, the waste industry is on track to a making a greener footprint on the environment.

Additionally, waste-to-energy efforts have been saving companies money that they would likely spend on other fuel sources. A report regarding gasification of MSW stated, "Instead of paying to dispose of and manage waste for years in a landfill, using it as a feedstock for gasification reduces disposal costs and landfill space, and converts those wastes to electricity and fuels."