The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized the City of Sioux Falls and POET landfill gas project as one of the top renewable energy projects nationwide.

The 11-mile pipeline connects the regional landfill with Poet’s Chancellor, SD, ethanol plant, displacing 10 percent of the plant’s previous natural gas consumption and resulting in positive rate stabilization for customers of the regional landfill.

“This has been an excellent partnership that continues to grow,” Mayor Dave Munson said. “We’re honored by this national recognition and we’re committed to doing even more to take advantage of the opportunities presented by our landfill gas project.”

“As this award signifies, POET wants to do more than produce renewable fuels,” POET Chief Operating Officer James Moe said. “We want to use renewable energy to power our production process as well.”

Eight landfill methane capture projects and partners were honored by the EPA for generating renewable energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Sioux Falls pipeline, completed in February 2009, transports methane from waste at the Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill to POET’s Chancellor, SD, plant. POET pays the city for the methane, providing a revenue source from gas that had previously been flared at the landfill.

That methane, in conjunction with a waste wood boiler, produces process steam for ethanol production. The methane currently offsets 15 percent of the plant’s energy needs; and as the supply of landfill gas increases, that is expected to double by 2025. When combined with waste wood, the plant will one day be powered completely by renewable energy.

Currently, there are more than 500 landfill gas energy projects operational in the United States.