LoCI Controls system demonstrates early methane capture success

LoCI Controls, a Wareham, Massachusetts-based developer of software technology for real-time monitoring and control for optimizing landfill methane capture, has announced results from its methane capture project at Loess Hills Regional Sanitary Landfill, which is owned and operated by Iowa Waste Services LLC, a subsidiary of Waste Connections Inc., The Woodlands, Texas.

Between 2021 and 2023, the project successfully captured and destroyed methane emissions with approximately 229,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), equal to removing more than 53,300 gasoline-powered cars from the road for one year, the company says.

LoCI says these results demonstrate Loess Hills Regional Sanitary Landfill’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and driving positive environmental change. Additionally, the sale of carbon credits from the CO₂e captured, quantified via the ACR methodology for Landfill Gas Destruction and Beneficial Use Projects, also offers a new revenue source and financial incentive to capture more methane than currently required by regulation.  

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“LoCI’s real-time data and actionable insights empower landfill operators to make informed decisions, whether it’s resolving daily operational challenges or planning long-term infrastructure investments,” says Peter Quigley, CEO and chairman of LoCI Controls. “Our partnership with Loess Hills Regional Sanitary Landfill and Waste Connections demonstrates how innovation can drive greater efficiencies and success for landfills and downstream beneficial use of the captured methane. We’re proud to support their efforts and remain committed to enhancing gas capture and operational excellence in the years ahead.”

Located in Malvern, Iowa, the Loess Hills Regional Sanitary Landfill implemented a voluntary methane collection and destruction system in 2021. In 2023, it added enhancements from LoCI Controls’ advanced gas automation and control technology, the company says. With the deployment of the LoCI Controls system, in combination with the installation of landfill gas collection system infrastructure as an integral part of new cell construction projects, gas generated from new waste was collected earlier, more efficiently and more reliably, enabling methane capture in higher quantities and at more consistent quality, according to the news release.

The LoCI system provides frequent well monitoring and control in both inactive and active areas of the landfill, the company says, limiting air intrusion and maximizing methane gas capture. The system also enables operators at the site to capture and stabilize gas composition autonomously, resulting in greater efficiency and personnel safety.