Turning area trash and cow manure into renewable fuel — the first project of its kind in the nation

A construction project is currently taking place at Dane County’s landfill that will significantly change how it operates. When completed, Dane County will be able to turn trash and cow manure into renewable fuel, while preserving our environment and natural resources.

When garbage at the landfill breaks down, it creates biogas, which is about 50 percent methane. While methane is a harmful greenhouse gas pollutant, it also makes up about 98 percent of natural gas, which we can use as a renewable energy source. Due to changing energy markets, Dane County has chosen to harness this gas through a new method.

 Our new facility will convert landfill biogas into nearly pure methane gas, which will then be injected into the interstate transmission pipeline underneath our landfill so it can be bought and used as renewable vehicle fuel. This will eliminate thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions, a leading cause of the extreme weather events triggered by climate change.

 Our new facility will also have a biogas offloading station to allow biogas producers, like manure digesters, to inject their purified and compressed gas into the pipeline. Digesters reduce greenhouse gas emissions by collecting and destroying methane from cow manure that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere. They also keep manure off the land, which reduces phosphorus runoff into our lakes during heavy rain events. Due to increased revenue opportunities, this station is expected to spur development of more digesters in our area and increase Dane County’s efforts to clean up lakes.

When finished, Dane County’s landfill biogas project will be the first of its kind in the nation. We’ll create renewable fuel to power thousands of vehicles across the region and country, while keeping our lakes and air clean for future generations.