OPAL Fuels and GFL Environmental Advance Major RNG Expansion with New Projects in Alabama and Georgia
OPAL Fuels, a leading producer and distributor of renewable natural gas (RNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG), has announced a significant step forward in its growth strategy through the advancement of two new renewable natural gas production facilities being developed in partnership with GFL Environmental Inc. The projects, located at the Stones Throw Landfill in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, and the Grady Road Landfill in Polk County, Georgia, represent a major expansion of renewable fuel infrastructure in the southeastern United States and reinforce the companies’ commitment to sustainable energy development.
The two facilities are jointly owned by OPAL Fuels and GFL Environmental, with each company holding a 50 percent stake. Together, the projects are expected to deliver nearly 2 million MMBTU of annual RNG production capacity once operational. The development marks another milestone in the long-standing collaboration between the two companies as they work to transform landfill gas into a valuable source of low-carbon transportation fuel.
Renewable natural gas has emerged as one of the most practical and scalable solutions for reducing emissions in the transportation sector, particularly for heavy-duty trucking fleets. Produced by capturing methane from organic waste decomposition and upgrading it to pipeline-quality natural gas, RNG provides a renewable alternative to conventional fossil fuels while significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
As part of the agreement, OPAL Fuels will market and distribute the entire output from both facilities through its expanding network of RNG and CNG fueling stations. This arrangement strengthens the company’s vertically integrated business model, which spans the full value chain from fuel production and processing to transportation fuel distribution and dispensing.
The company believes that integrating upstream production assets with downstream fueling infrastructure creates a competitive advantage that enables it to capture greater value while providing reliable fuel supply solutions to commercial transportation customers. The new Alabama and Georgia facilities are expected to contribute significantly to this strategy by adding substantial production volumes that can be directed toward growing demand in the transportation market.
According to project estimates, the combined output from the two facilities will provide enough renewable fuel to support approximately 800 Class 8 heavy-duty trucks. These vehicles are among the largest consumers of diesel fuel in the transportation sector, making them a critical target for decarbonization efforts.
The adoption of RNG-powered trucks has accelerated in recent years due to a combination of economic and environmental factors. Fleet operators continue to face fluctuating diesel prices and rising operating costs, prompting many companies to seek more stable and cost-effective fuel alternatives. Renewable natural gas offers a compelling solution by providing lower fuel costs while simultaneously helping companies meet sustainability objectives and emissions reduction targets.
In addition to economic benefits, RNG can deliver significant environmental advantages. When produced from landfill methane, renewable natural gas can achieve extremely low carbon intensity scores and, in some cases, even carbon-negative lifecycle emissions. By capturing methane that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere and converting it into usable energy, RNG projects contribute to greenhouse gas reduction efforts while generating renewable fuel.
Jonathan Maurer, Co-Chief Executive Officer of OPAL Fuels, highlighted the strategic importance of the projects and their role in advancing the company’s long-term growth plans.
He noted that the development of the Alabama and Georgia facilities reflects the company’s continued momentum in executing projects that are expected to generate attractive returns while expanding production capacity. Maurer emphasized that bringing additional RNG supply online at a time when transportation sector demand is growing demonstrates the strength of OPAL Fuels’ integrated business approach.
The company’s growing network of fueling stations and distribution assets enables it to connect landfill-based RNG production facilities with high-value transportation markets. This integration supports OPAL Fuels’ objectives of expanding revenue streams, improving operating margins, and creating long-term value for shareholders.
GFL Environmental also views the projects as an important component of its broader sustainability and environmental strategy. The waste management company has increasingly invested in landfill gas-to-energy initiatives as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while generating recurring revenue from renewable energy assets.
Patrick Dovigi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of GFL Environmental, expressed enthusiasm about the continued expansion of RNG infrastructure across the company’s landfill portfolio. He stated that the projects align with GFL’s long-term environmental goals and support ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout its operations.
One particularly important aspect of the strategy is the ability to use renewable fuel generated from landfill gas to support GFL’s own compressed natural gas vehicle fleet. By creating a circular energy model in which waste collection operations generate landfill gas that is then converted into transportation fuel, GFL can further improve the sustainability profile of its operations.
Beyond environmental benefits, Dovigi emphasized that RNG investments are expected to provide stable and attractive risk-adjusted financial returns over an extended period. Renewable energy infrastructure projects often benefit from long-term fuel demand, regulatory support, and environmental credit programs, creating opportunities for predictable cash flow generation.
The technology underpinning both projects is well established and has been successfully deployed at numerous landfill sites throughout North America. Organic materials deposited in landfills naturally decompose over time, producing landfill gas that contains methane and carbon dioxide. Rather than allowing this methane to escape into the atmosphere, collection systems capture the gas and direct it to processing facilities.
At the new Stones Throw and Grady Road facilities, advanced gas upgrading systems will remove impurities and separate carbon dioxide from methane, producing renewable natural gas that meets pipeline-quality specifications. The resulting RNG can then be injected into natural gas distribution networks or transported to fueling stations where it is used as a transportation fuel.
The southeastern United States continues to present attractive opportunities for renewable natural gas development due to its growing transportation demand, expanding natural gas infrastructure, and significant landfill resources. The Alabama and Georgia projects further strengthen the regional renewable energy landscape while supporting broader efforts to reduce emissions from the transportation sector.
As construction advances, the projects are expected to play a meaningful role in expanding domestic RNG supply and supporting the ongoing transition toward lower-carbon transportation fuels. For both OPAL Fuels and GFL Environmental, the new facilities represent an important investment in renewable energy infrastructure that combines environmental stewardship with long-term economic value creation.
With nearly 2 million MMBTU of planned production capacity and the ability to fuel hundreds of heavy-duty trucks annually, the projects demonstrate how landfill gas can be transformed into a valuable renewable resource. As demand for cleaner transportation solutions continues to grow, partnerships such as the one between OPAL Fuels and GFL Environmental are likely to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of sustainable energy and transportation across North America.
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