Landfill Gas System
Fred Weber, Inc. is one of the first companies to recognize the beneficial use of landfill gas as an alternative fuel.
Landfill gas (LFG) is a renewable energy supply generated by the decomposition of organic waste. As the waste in a landfill decomposes, LFG is produced as a natural by-product. Landfill gas is typically comprised of approximately 50 percent methane and 50 percent carbon dioxide. Methane is the primary component of natural gas, which is used for heating and cooking.
In 1983, we began using landfill gas to heat the oil burner at the North Asphalt plant. The success of this innovative effort led to the utilization of LFG as an alternative fuel to heat the rotary dryers at the asphalt plant. As landfilling progressed, the landfill gas collection system was expanded to provide landfill gas to heat the Jaeger commercial greenhouses and to heat water for the Breckenridge concrete facility.
In 1997, through a community effort, an alternative energy project was completed to use landfill gas from the Fred Weber Landfill to heat the Pattonville High School.
In 2007, Fred Weber constructed a state of the art centralized blower/ flare system to better serve the existing landfill gas recovery end-users while providing capacity for growth. The new 6,000 cubic foot capacity centralized blower system compresses the landfill gas, removes the moisture and particulate matter from the gas, and delivers LFG more consistently and at a higher quality. The improvements to the system have created an opportunity for the company to optimize the energy potential from landfill gas. The North Asphalt Plant is now able to use more renewable green energy and less natural gas resulting in a real environmental benefit and a significant cost reduction. Utilizing landfill gas as a renewable energy resource is a significant way that Fred Weber, Inc. helps reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
Future landfill gas recovery projects may include a landfill gas to electricity project, which will continue to provide green energy to the community for many years after the landfill closes.
