Illinois Landfill Powers Green Future with New RNG Facility

EAST MOLINE, IL – January 06, 2026 – In a significant step for the circular economy, a landfill in East Moline has been transformed into a new source of clean energy. Ameresco, Inc., a leading energy infrastructure provider, and Republic Services, Inc., a major player in the environmental services industry, have announced that their latest joint project, a Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) facility at the Upper Rock Island County Landfill, is now fully operational.

The facility, which came online in December, captures gas produced by decomposing organic waste and upgrades it into pipeline-quality RNG. This low-carbon fuel can be used in transportation and other applications, directly displacing fossil fuels and marking a tangible advancement in the state's decarbonization efforts. The project stands as a testament to a growing trend where landfills are being reimagined from simple waste repositories into valuable hubs for renewable energy production.

From Landfill to Fuel Line: The Rise of Renewable Natural Gas

The process at the heart of the Upper Rock facility represents a powerful application of waste-to-energy technology. Landfills are the third-largest human-caused source of methane emissions in the United States, a greenhouse gas over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. By capturing this landfill gas (LFG), which would otherwise escape, the facility prevents harmful emissions while creating a valuable commodity.

The Ameresco-owned plant is engineered to process 2,000 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) of raw landfill gas. This process is projected to yield more than 500,000 Dekatherms of RNG annually. The environmental impact is substantial, with the facility expected to prevent over 27,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year. To put that figure into perspective, this reduction is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by more than 326,000 acres of U.S. forests in one year.

“The conversion of organic waste into renewable energy serves as a cornerstone of the circular economy,” said Michael Bakas, President of Renewable Fuels at Ameresco. “The Upper Rock project adds another high-quality RNG facility to our portfolio and demonstrates the scalable model we’ve built organically in partnership with Republic Services.”

This project enters a rapidly expanding market. Driven by ambitious climate policies and corporate sustainability goals, the North American RNG market has seen explosive growth, adding a record amount of production capacity in the last year. Landfill projects are at the forefront of this expansion, accounting for over 70% of the nation's biogas production capacity. While the Upper Rock facility is a significant asset, it is part of a larger, scalable strategy for the two companies, whose portfolio includes even larger facilities like the Roxana Landfill project, also in Illinois.

Powering Illinois' Green Transition

The new facility provides a direct boost to Illinois' ambitious environmental agenda. Under the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the state has committed to achieving 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2050. These are aggressive targets that require a significant ramp-up of clean energy generation from all available sources.

As of 2023, renewable sources accounted for just over 13% of the state's electricity generation, highlighting the critical need for new projects to bridge the gap. The Upper Rock facility, along with other RNG plants developed by Ameresco and Republic Services in Illinois, contributes directly to these goals by adding a reliable, low-carbon energy source to the grid and transportation fuel market. By capturing methane, it also addresses a key source of greenhouse gas emissions targeted by state and federal climate policies.

The project not only supports Illinois' clean energy procurement targets but also aids in the mandated phase-out of fossil-fuel-fired power plants. By providing a domestically produced, renewable alternative to conventional natural gas, RNG facilities enhance energy independence and improve local air quality, delivering on the multi-faceted promise of the state's clean energy transition.

A Partnership Forging a Sustainable Future

The Upper Rock facility is the 16th operational project developed through the long-standing collaboration between Ameresco and Republic Services, a partnership that now spans over two decades. This enduring alliance has become a powerful engine for developing sustainable infrastructure across the country, combining Ameresco's expertise in energy solutions with Republic Services' vast network of landfills.

For Republic Services, the project is a key component of its broader corporate sustainability strategy. The company has set a goal to beneficially reuse 50% more biogas by 2030, and the continuous development of new RNG facilities is essential to meeting that target. The company has already made significant strides, reporting a 20% reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions as of 2024 against a 2017 baseline.

“Republic Services is committed to driving sustainability through innovative decarbonization solutions that create meaningful benefits for the communities we serve,” said Tim Oudman, Senior Vice President of Sustainability Innovation. “The Upper Rock project represents another milestone in our longstanding partnership with Ameresco and underscores our shared commitment to building a more sustainable future.”

The success of this partnership lies in its scalable and replicable model. The rapid succession of projects—with the 15th joint facility coming online just months before this 16th one—demonstrates a well-honed process for identifying, developing, and operating these complex assets. With more facilities already in various stages of construction and permitting, the collaboration between Ameresco and Republic Services is poised to remain a driving force in the nation's transition away from fossil fuels and toward a circular economy.