Randolph County in North Carolina has selected Waga Energy to build, own and operate a renewable natural gas (RNG) production unit at the Great Oak Landfill in Randleman, under a 20-year agreement.
Waga Energy will finance, construct and run the facility, which has an initial design capacity of 3,000 standard cubic feet per minute (approximately 4,800 m³/h) and will deploy the company's patented Wagabox technology to upgrade landfill gas into pipeline-quality RNG.
The unit is expected to produce around 610,000 MMBtu (179 GWh) of RNG per year for injection into the local gas network, avoiding approximately 47,500 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually by displacing fossil fuels — the equivalent of the emissions from 4.2 million gallons of diesel, according to the US EPA's landfill gas energy benefits calculator. Waga Energy will also invest in the site's gas collection and control system to maximise capture and cut local emissions.
Developed over 15 years of R&D, the Wagabox process combines membrane filtration with cryogenic distillation, allowing it to deliver pipeline-quality RNG regardless of variations in landfill gas flow rate and composition.
The Great Oak Landfill is owned by Randolph County and operated by Waste Management of Carolinas, and accepted more than 692,000 US tons of waste last year. Opened in January 2017 with an original permit for 2,000 tons per day, its permitted capacity was doubled to 4,000 tons per day in 2019. The county retained the rights to the landfill gas under its original operating agreement, paving the way for the Waga deal, which followed a competitive selection process run in 2025.
"Randolph County is excited to partner with Waga Energy for the production of renewable natural gas at the Great Oak Landfill," said Darrell Frye, chairman of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners. "Along with our long-standing relationship with Waste Management, this agreement ensures Randolph County will benefit from the landfill for decades to come."
Guénaël Prince, CEO of Waga Energy Inc., added: "By converting landfill gas into renewable natural gas, we will create long-term environmental value and a reliable local energy resource for the community. This long-term partnership reflects the scale and potential of the Great Oak landfill site and will help expand renewable energy production across North Carolina."
Waga Energy to build landfill gas-to-RNG facility in North Carolina
