Energy company to convert Manatee landfill waste gas into fuel in $50M project

Manatee County and a South Florida-based energy company are moving ahead with plans to build a plant adjacent to the Lena Road Landfill in east Manatee to capture waste gas from the facility and convert it into natural gas.

Nopetro Energy of Miami says in a news release it plans to build a $50 million site, beginning in 2026 with production beginning in 2027.

Manatee County officials as recently as 2023 have discussed the possibility of teaming up with an energy company to harness the methane gas that is normally produced by landfill operations. That gas is typically burned off as a byproduct.