Ameresco and Republic Services Bring 5.2 MWe Upper Rock Landfill Gas-to-Renewable Natural Gas Facility Online

Key Terms

renewable natural gas technical

Renewable natural gas is methane captured from organic waste—like landfills, farms, or wastewater—and cleaned to the same quality as conventional pipeline gas so it can be used for heating, electricity, or vehicle fuel. Investors care because it turns waste into a revenue-generating commodity, can qualify for carbon credits or government incentives, and can reduce a company's emissions profile, affecting long-term costs, regulatory risk, and market demand much like converting trash into sellable fuel.

landfill gas technical

Landfill gas is the mixture of gases, mainly methane and carbon dioxide, produced when organic waste breaks down in a landfill; think of it as the burp from a giant compost pile. It matters to investors because unmanaged gas creates safety, odor and regulatory risks and can carry cleanup costs, while captured gas can be sold or used to generate power, creating a revenue stream and reducing a site’s environmental liability.

pipeline-quality technical

Pipeline-quality describes a drug candidate, medical device, or data set that meets a company’s internal standards for advancing from discovery into formal development stages. Like a prototype that has passed initial checks and is ready for factory refinement, pipeline-quality signals lower early-stage risk and a clearer path to costly clinical trials or regulatory review, so it influences development timelines, projected costs and potential future value for investors.

Dekatherms technical

A dekatherm is a standard unit of energy equal to ten therms, or about one million British thermal units (BTUs), commonly used to measure natural gas volume and trade. For investors it matters because gas prices, revenues and contract sizes are often quoted per dekatherm, so changes in price or volume expressed in dekatherms directly affect a company’s sales, costs and the value of commodity positions—think of it as buying energy in ten‑unit bundles.

circular economy technical

A circular economy is a way of designing and using products so that materials are reused, repaired, or recycled rather than discarded as waste. It mimics natural systems where resources are continually reused, reducing environmental impact and conserving resources. For investors, it represents an opportunity to support sustainable businesses that focus on efficiency and long-term resource management.

decarbonization technical

Decarbonization is the process of cutting a company’s greenhouse gas emissions across its operations, supply chain and products by switching to cleaner energy, improving efficiency and changing materials or processes. For investors it matters because lower emissions can reduce regulatory and energy costs, limit legal and reputational risks, and signal long-term competitiveness—like a business replacing a gas-guzzling fleet with fuel-efficient or electric vehicles to save money and stay compliant.

Facility projected to process 2,000 scfm of landfill gas into pipeline-quality RNG, strengthening energy resiliency and reducing more than 27,000 metric tons of CO₂ annually

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. & EAST MOLINE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE: AMRC), a leading energy infrastructure solutions provider, and Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG), a leader in the environmental services industry, today announced it achieved operation of a renewable natural gas (RNG) facility located at the Upper Rock Island County Landfill in East Moline, Illinois in December. The Ameresco-owned asset will upgrade landfill gas (LFG) from the Upper Rock Landfill into pipeline-quality RNG that can be used as a low-carbon transportation fuel and for other applications.

The 5.2 MWe RNG facility is designed to capture raw landfill gas and process 2,000 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas, and to produce more than 500,000 Dekatherms each year.

By turning landfill gas into a valuable renewable energy resource:

• The facility is expected to avoid more than 27,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions each year.
• This reduction is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 326,000 acres of forest.
• The project advances decarbonization, improves air quality, and supports local communities.

“The conversion of organic waste into renewable energy serves as a cornerstone of the circular economy,” said Michael Bakas, President of Renewable Fuels at Ameresco. “The Upper Rock project adds another high-quality RNG facility to our portfolio and demonstrates the scalable model we’ve built organically in partnership with Republic Services. This project will displace fossil fuels, cut local emissions, and deliver meaningful benefits for our partners and the communities they serve.”

As the 16^th operational project developed by Ameresco and Republic Services and following the announcement of another Illinois RNG facility in July 2025, this project underscores both organizations’ growing momentum and ongoing dedication to advancing renewable energy in the region and beyond. Not only does the facility support Illinois’ ambitious clean energy targets of 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2050, but it also directly contributes to Republic Services’ goal to beneficially reuse 50% more biogas by 2030.

“Republic Services is committed to driving sustainability through innovative decarbonization solutions that create meaningful benefits for the communities we serve,” said Tim Oudman, Senior Vice President of Sustainability Innovation. “The Upper Rock project represents another milestone in our longstanding partnership with Ameresco and underscores our shared commitment to building a more sustainable future.”

To learn more about the renewable fuel solutions offered by Ameresco, visit www.ameresco.com/renewable-natural-gas

About Ameresco, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading energy infrastructure solutions provider dedicated to helping customers reduce costs, enhance resilience, and decarbonize to net zero in the global energy transition. Our comprehensive portfolio includes implementing smart energy efficiency solutions, upgrading aging infrastructure, and developing, constructing, and operating distributed energy resources. As a trusted full-service partner, Ameresco shows the way by reducing energy use and delivering energy infrastructure solutions to Federal, state and local governments, utilities, data centers, educational and healthcare institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,500 employees providing local expertise in North America and Europe. For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.

The announcement of Ameresco’s completion of a renewable energy asset project is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount of revenue from such arrangement, of Ameresco’s overall revenue for any particular period or of trends in Ameresco’s overall total assets in development or operation. This asset was included in Ameresco’s previously reported assets in development as of September 30, 2025.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260106299031/en/

Media Contact:

Ameresco: Leila Dillon, 508-661-2264, news@ameresco.com

Source: Ameresco, Inc.