The Twin Oaks Landfill in Grimes County will soon be home to a renewable natural gas plant.
The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency (BVSWMA) announced on Wednesday an agreement with Midland based Morrow Energy to capture natural gas within the landfill, and distribute it on the energy market as renewable power.
Executive Director of the landfill Bryan Griesbach says this was on their radar from day one, especially with the growth of the area.
“Any new modern landfill, we have a natural gas collection system. If you have enough of it, it is usually something developers are interested in working with, and that is about 1,000 cubic feet per minute. When you hit that threshold, that is when it becomes marketable,” said Griesbach.
Morrow Energy will have 6 employees present, along with a project manager, which has already been hired.
As for money the landfill would make, Griesbach says that is up in the air, and dependent on a multitude of things, like the price of natural gas.
“We will know more when we get the plant operational, and see what pricing is at that time,” said Griesbach. “As you know, even our price for gasoline and diesel has change quite a bit the last few years.”
He says once the plant does make money, the funds will go toward lowering waste management costs for residents in Bryan and College Station.
Construction and full opening of the plant is expected complete by early 2023.