Biogas, Landfill Gas, and Air Quality
Our biogas and LFG collection, control, and reuse experience begins with the inception of the LFG industry in the early 1980s. We have completed more than 1,000 LFG and biogas projects including design and installation of LFG collection and control systems and LFG-to-energy facility operation and maintenance (O&M) services. We focus on our clients’ bottom line—including operational, compliance, waste diversion, and revenue generation needs—and turn waste resources into renewable products such as electricity and vehicle fuel. Tetra Tech helps clients leverage new technologies that promote energy independence, including LFG to vehicle fuel, pipeline injection, electricity, and solar power landfill cover systems.
Biogas Collection and Control
Tetra Tech has experience converting various biogas types to renewable natural gas (RNG), including LFG, biogas from food waste digesters, and wastewater treatment plants. We were the engineer of record for the design, permitting, and commissioning of a biogas-to-RNG facility using LFG and biogas from an anaerobic digester facility. This unique facility takes biogas from two sources and injects it into a utility pipeline. Tetra Tech manages the full life cycle of facility planning, design, construction, commissioning, and operation of landfills, wastewater treatment, and food waste digesters.
We formulate the most effective plan for incorporating biogas collection and control systems into a facility–from conception to completion.
- Resource planning, such as LFG and biogas production projections
- Gas collection and control system (GCCS) design, commissioning, and operation
- Multiyear control system phasing plans
- Ambient air monitoring and monitoring plan development
- Biogas control system O&M
Air Permitting
Tetra Tech’s air specialists are experienced in permitting air emission sources through local, state, and federal air pollution control districts and departments of environmental health. We have an outstanding technical reputation with the regulatory community and a thorough understanding of local, state, and federal air quality permitting regulations. We have helped clients, such as the County of Orange, California, develop landfill gas control infrastructure that meet some of the most stringent air pollution requirements in the world.
- New Source Review (NSR)
- Title V and minor source air permitting
- Atmospheric dispersion modeling
Air Compliance
Tetra Tech provides comprehensive air quality compliance services to clients in the solid waste, renewable energy, industrial, and chemical process industries. We support our clients, such as the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, through the entire project life cycle and focus on achieving compliance in a cost-effective manner. Tetra Tech also provides air evaluations for RNG projects where biogas is processed, treated, and cleaned to pipeline-quality natural gas. Our air work addresses the additional steps needed to evaluate emissions from all steps in the treatment process.
- Compliance assessments and emission source inventories
- New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), and permit compliance support
- Human health risk and regulatory assessments
- Source emissions testing, test review, and oversight
- Greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting
- Virtual data management tools
- Air quality monitoring, permitting, compliance, and reporting
- GHG emissions, such as carbon offset, inventories, and lifecycle assessment
BioCNG™
Tetra Tech developed BioCNG, a patented system that converts biogas into an RNG suitable for use as vehicle fuel at a fraction of the cost of gasoline or diesel—with similar or better engine performance. Biogas-based compressed natural gas (CNG) and RNG can be produced from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and agricultural and food waste anaerobic digesters. BioCNG has received numerous awards for its innovative technology, including the U.S. EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program Project of the Year Award, Energy Vision Leadership Award, International Bioenergy Award, Natural Gas Vehicles of America Achievement Award, and the Associated Builders and Contractors Projects of Distinction Gold Award for the development of the Dane County RNG Facility in Wisconsin.
BioCNG has received numerous awards for its innovative technology.
Data Management
For nearly two decades, Tetra Tech’s geomatics technology group has been an industry leader in the innovative use of GIS technology for biogas and landfill gas management. We developed new mobile landfill data collection tools to help stakeholders make quicker decisions. Our analysts produce site maps and illustrations; manage large, multidisciplinary environmental datasets; and are highly experienced in GIS and database automation, applications programming, spatial modeling, 3D modeling, advanced image analysis, and interactive web mapping.
- CAD and GIS integration
- Mobile data collection and mapping
- Spatial information management
RNG Market Incentives
Tetra Tech helps clients evaluate available governmental financial incentives promoting use of ethanol and alternate domestic energy sources for transportation needs. We have an excellent track record of identifying grants and other project funding options, including helping the Los Angeles County Sanitation obtain $2.5 million in grant funding for a biogas-to-vehicle fuel facility at the Carson Joint Water Pollution Control Plant. Tetra Tech can assess a project’s funding solicitation applicability, evaluate the chance of funding compared to the application costs, and direct clients to the appropriate funding solution.
Biogas Market Services
Tetra Tech provides various support services that help clients achieve an efficient and effective beneficial-use facility. We are one of a select few consultants with the resources to construct, commission, and operate biogas to energy facilities, in addition to permitting and design. Our services cover the entire project life cycle, from feasibility studies and permit preparation to facility design and construction management, and can be tailored to meet each client’s specific needs.
- Facility development and design
- Owner’s engineer
- Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC)
- Design-build services
- Long-term operations support
We have an excellent track record of identifying grants and other project funding options, including helping the Los Angeles County Sanitation obtain $2.5 million in grant funding for a biogas-to-vehicle fuel facility at the Carson Joint Water Pollution Control Plant.
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