Pictured: Rendering of the Nopetro Manatee County facility at Lena Road Landfill. Photo courtesy Nopetro Energy.

On October 9, Nopetro Energy and Johnson Controls broke ground on the first renewable natural gas (RNG) facility on Florida’s West Coast. This marks the second plant for Nopetro Energy, and the $50 million facility at the Lena Road Landfill in Bradenton is a major milestone for Manatee County.

“RNG presents the heavy-duty transportation industry with a compelling alternative to diesel,” says Jorge Herrera, CEO of Nopetro Energy. “Not only does it reduce the fuel cost, but it’s a much more stable fuel, and it’s now a renewable form of fuel.”

With the evolution of RNG technologies, Nopetro is able to capture and process landfill gas and refine it into pipeline-quality natural gas. Herrera says his company is designing, processing, building and operating the plant, with Johnson Controls measuring and verifying some of the operational parameters in respect to the landfill.

“The ultimate goal for the facility is to produce approximately 4.5–5 million gallons of fuel each year,” he says. This fuel will power more than 4,500 homes each year and deliver a carbon reduction impact comparable to 22,000 acres of forest.

Herrera says the facility will benefit the community in three ways, beginning with addressing an environmental concern by capturing a pollutant that would alternatively be admitted into the air. The plant will generate meaningful revenues for the County without having to incur any risk or invest any capital, with about $1.5 million each year. Thirdly, it will create a local source of natural gas production that will be generated in Manatee County, as the pipeline grid will be more resilient by being able to produce RNG locally.

“The financial benefits for heavy-duty transportation fleets are compelling, and renewable natural gas makes it completely sustainable,” Herrera says.

Commissioning will begin in quarter 4 of 2027, with substantial completion in quarter 1 of 2028.

3333 Lena Rd., Bradenton

Pictured: Rendering of the Nopetro Manatee County facility at Lena Road Landfill. Photo courtesy Nopetro Energy.