DAVID CITY, Neb., Feb. 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aria Energy announces the commissioning of a landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) project at the Waste Connections-owned Butler County Landfill in David City, Neb. Aria Energy constructed, owns and operates the project, which processes and purifies up to 1,000 cubic feet per minute of LFG into pipeline quality RNG.

LFG is produced naturally as waste decomposes and consists of roughly 50 percent methane. Landfills above a certain size are required to install a collection system to transport the gas to a collection facility to prevent it from rising into the atmosphere where it would become a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.  The captured LFG is purified into RNG which displaces the use of fossil fuels and can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the community.

RNG produced by the project is transported to the interstate pipeline through Black Hills Energy’s distribution system where it is sold to Constellation with an intended use by Constellation’s customers as fuel for natural gas vehicle fleets.

“Our expertise and familiarity with both the local utility and the interstate pipeline made this opportunity a natural fit for our business,” said Dino Caro, Senior Vice President, C&I Gas Sales, at Constellation. “We look forward to teaming up with Aria on this clean energy solution to continue to serve our strong base of compressed natural gas customers in the Midwest and throughout the country.”

Use of this low-carbon fuel results in approximately 70 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than from equivalent gasoline or diesel fueled vehicles. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculations, the Butler project directly reduces emissions from 5,500 tons of methane and avoids nearly 14,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, the equivalent of removing 600 passenger vehicles from the road.

“This project would not be possible without the collaborative efforts of all our project partners,” said Richard DiGia, Aria Energy’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Butler facility continues Aria’s ongoing commitment to converting low carbon fuel sources like gas generated by municipal waste into clean, useful renewable energy for vehicles, homes and businesses.”

About Aria Energy

Headquartered in Novi, MI with offices in Oakfield, NY; Frederick, CO and Gilbert, AZ, Aria Energy provides baseload renewable energy to utilities and other customers across the United States. Aria Energy owns and/or operates a diversified portfolio of 43 renewable energy projects across 17 states, collectively representing collectively representing 223 MW of electric capacity and 20,760 MMBtu/day of renewable natural gas. For additional information, visit www.ariaenergy.com .

About Waste Connections

Waste Connections is an integrated solid waste services company that provides waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services in mostly exclusive and secondary markets in the United States and Canada.  Through its R360 Environmental Solutions subsidiary, Waste Connections is also a leading provider of non-hazardous oilfield waste treatment, recovery and disposal services in several of the most active natural resource producing areas in the United States, including the Permian, Bakken and Eagle Ford Basins.  Waste Connections serves more than six million residential, commercial, industrial, and exploration and production customers in 41 states in the U.S., and six provinces in Canada.  The Company also provides intermodal services for the movement of cargo and solid waste containers in the Pacific Northwest. For more information, visit the Waste Connections web site at www.wasteconnections.com .

About Constellation

Constellation is a leading competitive retail supplier of power, natural gas and energy products and services for homes and businesses across the continental United States. Constellation's family of retail businesses serves approximately 2 million residential, public sector and business customers, including more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100. Baltimore-based Constellation is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with 2017 revenues of approximately $33.5 billion, and more than 32,000 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation's cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. Learn more at www.constellation.com or on Twitter at @ConstellationEG .

About Black Hills Energy

Black Hills Energy is a natural gas and electric utility serving 1.25 million customers in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. Black Hills Energy is part of Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH), a customer-focused, growth-oriented utility company based in Rapid City, South Dakota, with a tradition of improving life with energy and a vision to be the energy partner of choice. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com and www.blackhillsenergy.com

Media Contacts Aria Energy Julie Bollenbach- (248) 380-3920

Black Hills Energy Brandy Johnson- (402) 202-2420 24-hour Media Assistance- (866) 243-9002

Constellation Dave Snyder- (410) 470-9700