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ACUA, South Jersey Gas, OPAL Fuels start natural gas production at landfill

  • Atlantic County

ACUA, South Jersey Gas and OPAL Fuels break ground on new natural gas production at the landfill.

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - South Jersey Industries, OPAL Fuels Inc. and Atlantic County Utilities Authority announced today that construction has begun on a new RNG production facility located at the solid waste landfill on Deliliah Road.

SJI is developing the Atlantic RNG facility In conjunction with OPAL Fuels through its rapidly expanding subsidiary SJI Renewable Energy Ventures, which specializes in developing waste to energy projects throughout North America.

As part of its commitment to provide safe, reliable, affordable energy solutions, South Jersey Gas, an SJI subsidiary, will enter into an interconnection agreement to accept the RNG produced by Atlantic RNG. This initiative supports the circular economy model of production and consumption which reuses and recycles waste into the energy we use every day.

We have been working hard in recent years to enhance our infrastructure to deliver the fuels of  the future, said Brent Schomber, president of South Jersey Gas. We are excited to work with ACUA, SJI Renewables, and OPAL Fuels as we celebrate a new milestone of adding RNG to our gas supply.

The groundbreaking of this renewable natural gas project signifies another milestone in our companies' collective commitment to a sustainable energy future, said Adam Comora, co-CEO of OPAL Fuels. OPAL Fuels' decades of experience in renewable energy production underpins our continued focus on our growth strategy of converting biogas resources into operating renewable energy projects. Together with SJI and ACUA, we will help bring more renewable fuel supply online and advance the clean energy transition.

Atlantic RNG is expected to be operational in mid-2025.

We are thrilled to host this groundbreaking energy project at our Environmental Park in Egg Harbor Township, ACUA President Matthew DeNafo said. Our vision to efficiently reuse the gas generated at the landfill to power trucks, homes and businesses is now a reality thanks to the leadership and innovation demonstrated by the teams at ACUA, SJI and OPAL Fuels.

RNG or biomethane is produced from a variety of sustainable biomass sources. Once processed, it is interchangeable as a carbon-neutral substitute for traditional natural gas and can be fed through the existing South Jersey Gas natural gas infrastructure without disturbing the distribution network already in place.

A ceremony to celebrate the commencement of construction of the Atlantic RNG project is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. A media advisory with details will be distributed closer to the event.