The first-of-its-kind facility on Florida’s west coast will turn waste into clean fuel for local trucks and buses, create jobs, drive lasting economic and environmental benefits
Nopetro Energy, a vertically-integrated producer, distributor and operator of natural gas solutions across North America, in partnership with Johnson Controls, announced today a $50 million investment to design, finance, build and operate a landfill gas to renewable natural gas (RNG) production facility in Manatee County. The first facility of its kind on Florida’s west coast, construction is expected to begin in 2026 with operations commencing in 2027.
Owned and operated by Nopetro, the facility will capture methane gas from the Lena Road Landfill and upgrade it into high-quality RNG, a biogas and the lowest-carbon alternative fuel available. The captured biogas will undergo a purification process before being injected into existing pipeline infrastructure to serve customers throughout Florida’s west coast. Since RNG is fully interchangeable with conventional natural gas, it can be seamlessly distributed to end users, providing a domestic, affordable and cleaner fuel option for buses and trucks while helping improve local air quality.
The project is expected to reduce emissions from biogas currently flared at the landfill, eliminating the equivalent of CO₂ produced by 5.3 million gallons of car gasoline each year. This reduction is comparable to the amount of carbon that would be captured by approximately 22,000 acres of forest. When operational, the facility will produce enough renewable energy to power more than 4,500 Florida homes each year. Beyond its environmental impact, the project will support approximately 50 construction jobs and create five permanent positions, generating long-term economic and community benefits for Manatee County and the surrounding region.
“This project reflects what’s possible when innovation and collaboration come together to create real impact,” said Travis Payne, Nopetro Energy’s senior vice president of RNG Development. “By transforming a wasted local asset into something productive, we’re helping Manatee County generate new revenue, and set the foundation for a more resilient future for generations.”
Through this partnership, Johnson Controls provided preliminary design and engineering for the RNG facility, evaluated monetization strategies and will deliver measurement and verification services for the duration of the project.
“We are proud to partner with Manatee County, and this project is a powerful example of our commitment to create smart, efficient and sustainable solutions in the communities we call home,” said Chuck McGinnis, vice president of North America sales and development for Johnson Controls. “Through converting waste into clean energy, we’re fostering long-term economic and environmental benefits and helping build a sustainable future for all.”
“This is a free revenue source on stuff that we’re currently just burning off,” said Manatee County Commission chair George Kruse. “We owe it to the taxpayers to try to maximize outside revenue so we can eliminate some of their costs.”
Nopetro also partnered with Mead & Hunt, an engineering, procurement and construction services firm, to design and construct the facility. The Manatee County project expands Nopetro’s existing renewable energy platform, which includes its first landfill gas-to-RNG facility in Vero Beach, Florida, and its 15 RNG fueling stations across the state.
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