JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Energy Systems Group, along with the leaders of Johnson City, celebrated the groundbreaking for an innovative landfill methane recovery plant to be constructed at Iris Glen landfill.

The project will provide a new source of revenue for the city, help alleviate pressure on community taxes, make available a local and alternative energy supply for several Johnson City companies, and reduce air emissions for the area over the next two decades.

ESG and the city entered into an agreement to harvest the methane gas from the landfill and provide this fuel to local commercial customers. The city will receive a continual revenue stream for this methane, which will help support the services provided to the community by the city, while the captured methane provides a renewable and local energy source. ESG will implement and operate the processing and distribution system supplying renewable methane gas to local business and the VA medical center.

The operator of landfills in Hampden and Old Town, Casella Waste Systems Inc., has floated the idea of harnessing the methane at those two facilities to produce electricity.

“We are excited to break ground today and move this project from design to reality,” said Jim Adams, president of ESG. “This $5 million project is an ideal fit for Energy Systems Group and our vision to find opportunities that deliver environmentally friendly solutions which improve our client’s finances, productivity and efficiency.”

The new facility will capture methane that was previously burned off at the landfill and, in turn, reduces local emissions. Applying an innovative membrane filtration system, ESG will be able to process as much gas energy as would be used in more than 5,000 local homes. This facility also significantly improves the local community air quality by reducing the carbon dioxide – greenhouse gas – emissions by the equivalent of removing more than 3,700 cars from the roads or planting more than 4,400 acres of trees.

“This is a great day for our city,” said Mayor Steve Darden. “With this processing plant, our community gains a long-term revenue source, reduced air emissions, and a local renewable energy source. And with Energy Systems Group we gain a great partner in energy efficiency and community stewardship.”