Air Liquide to Build its First Landfill Biogas Purification Plant in the U.S.

Air Liquide will design, construct and operate its first landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) purification plant in the U.S. at the Northeast Mississippi Landfill (NEML), in Walnut, Miss.

The site, owned by the Northeast Mississippi Solid Waste Management Authority, is operated by Waste Connections and receives approximately 350,000 tons of waste per year. The Northeast Mississippi Solid Waste Management Authority is the local governmental agency responsible for managing solid waste disposal and providing environmentally responsible programs and solutions to the 56,000+ residents of Tippah, Benton and Prentiss Counties.

Using Air Liquide's gas separation membrane technology, the plant will have the capability to purify the methane emitted by waste decay and make it suitable for use.

Expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2017, the initial production capacity of the plant is planned to achieve 1,300 mmBTU/day, with plans to expand.

In addition to the biogas purification plant, Air Liquide will build and implement a dedicated four-mile pipeline that will feed the biogas into a natural gas pipeline in the area. Construction of this pipeline will also enable the town of Walnut to expand its utility services.

"The new biogas project will enable us to transform waste and unused energy resources into renewable, carbon-reducing energy for the community and surrounding cities,” Chet Benham, vice president of Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC said in a statement. “Air Liquide is actively working to continue our growth in biogas purification plants in the U.S., and to provide clean energy for sustainable communities."