Archaea Energy, BP’s Republic Services Celebrates Construction of $50 Million Renewable Power Plant in Fort Wayne

On Thursday morning, a subsidiary of oil and gas company BP held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a Fort Wayne renewable energy facility it developed with Republic Services, an investment of about $50 million.

The Archaea Modular Design facility at the Republic National Serv-All Landfill is a joint venture of Lightning Renewables, according to a press release.

The facility is a partnership between BP’s Archaea Energy and Republic Services, which provides recycling, hazardous waste and related services. The Fort Wayne plant at 6354 Yohne Road is the first of 40 projects planned for the joint venture across the country, according to a press release.

Plans for the joint venture were first announced in 2022. Archaea has another plant in Medora, about an hour southeast of Indianapolis.

The Fort Wayne plant will employ eight full-time employees. Landfill gas, a natural byproduct of the decomposition of waste in landfills, is a form of greenhouse gas. The new operation will use technology to convert landfill gas into renewable natural gas, also known as RNG. Companies say its use can promote cleaner air and more sustainable energy compared to traditional fossil fuels.

The local plant – Archaea’s largest modular facility in Indiana – will be able to process up to 6,400 standard cubic feet of landfill gas per minute. According to the EPA’s Landfill Gas Energy Benefit Calculator, the companies said in their new announcement that that’s enough energy to heat more than 25,000 homes a year.

“From the beginning, we have been focused on opening plants safely and reliably and demonstrating progress and growth,” Archaea Energy CEO Starlee Sykes said in a statement. “As we continue to gain momentum with Lightning Renewables (Joint Venture), the Fort Wayne plant is just the beginning of our incredible partnership with Republic Services to capture emissions from landfills and provide customers with lower carbon and lower emissions fuel.”

Lightning Renewables plans another renewable natural gas plant this year in Pimento, south of Terre Haute.

“Republic Services invests in sustainability innovation to provide decarbonization solutions to our customers, and our Lightning Renewables partnership with Archaea Energy is a prime example of this,” Jon Vander Ark, president and CEO of Republic Services, said in a statement. “We are proud to celebrate the first of approximately 40 RNG projects in the Lightning Renewables portfolio. Together we help create a more sustainable world.”

Although other energy companies produce RNG, Archaea and Republic Services are confident in this investment.

“Lightning Renewables produces pipeline-quality renewable natural gas that is in high demand,” Tim Oudman, senior vice president of sustainability innovation at Republic Services, said by email.