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Larimer County to Expand Landfill Methane-collection System after $2.1M State Grant
Summary
Larimer County solid waste officials told commissioners the county is now operating the landfill methane-collection system, won a Colorado Energy Office grant for $2,112,065 and plans a design and build-out to add 115 acres of collection infrastructure with a goal of increasing gas capture from about 300 to roughly 1,500 cubic feet per minute.
Larimer County officials announced Monday that the county now operates the methane gas collection system at the Larimer County Landfill and has been awarded a Colorado Energy Office grant to expand collection infrastructure.
The county, Dwayne Penny, Larimer County director of solid waste, said the county "is now the operator of the methane gas collection system" after a mutually agreed termination with the prior gas developer that became effective May 1, 2025. "We were awarded $2,112,065 that we could apply towards the methane gas system," he told the board.
The grant funds, combined with $2.8 million Larimer County had budgeted for landfill closure work, will support a design and construction program to add roughly 115 acres of gas collection to the existing system, Penny said. The expansion would increase average collection from about 300 cubic feet per minute (cfm) today to close to 1,500 cfm, which the county said would create more opportunities for beneficial use such as renewable natural gas production or on-site combined heat and power.
Why it matters: methane is a potent greenhouse gas; local capture and destruction or beneficial use reduces county emissions and creates possible energy value. Commissioners pressed staff on how the system will be built, how it will interact with landfill closure and what uses the captured gas might have.
Key facts and timeline - The county and the previous gas developer ended their long-term agreement; the county took over operation effective May 1, 2025. - Kickoff for the Colorado Energy Office grant work is scheduled for June 28, 2025; the county said design work with HDR Engineering is expected to begin around July 1. - The county said it has until March 2028 to install the additional 115-acre gas collection system. - Planned infrastructure includes about 111 additional vertical wells and buried lateral piping; the county will replace the existing candlestick flare with an enclosed flare to improve destruction efficiency and allow annual emissions testing. - Budget: $2,112,065 (grant) plus $2,800,000 previously budgeted for closure work; county staff described that combination as sufficient for the planned build-out.
Discussion and next steps Penny described the technical approach: vertical wells drilled into the waste mass with lateral pipes buried about 4 feet deep, valves on wells above grade, and an enclosed flare and vacuum system to pull gas to a single point. He cautioned that system design must avoid over‑drawing gas, which could introduce oxygen and risk landfill fire.
Commissioners asked for visual materials and details on how above‑ground elements will be concealed; Penny said staff will return in about two months with design visuals. Commissioners also asked how the new gas volumes might be used. Penny noted multiple options: processing into renewable natural gas to be injected or sold, fueling on-site combined heat-and-power units, or marketing fuel for compressed‑natural‑gas vehicles. He said some large landfills run multiple megawatt generators when they reach substantially higher flows; Larimer's projected 1,500 cfm would not reach those largest sites but would enable several beneficial-use possibilities.
Penny estimated the useful production period at roughly 15 to 20 years after peak generation and said the county expects improved collection following landfill capping. He said the methane-capture project could achieve an initial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of about 30% over the life of the landfill, citing the EPA global warming potential multiplier for methane (25x CO2 equivalent) when explaining the climate benefit of capture and destruction.
No board vote was taken. Staff said they will proceed with design procurement with HDR Engineering and prepare an RFP for construction; they will return to the board with another update in a future work session.
The county will continue to operate and expand the collection system as part of landfill closure activities scheduled as the landfill reaches planned capacity.
Larimer County solid waste staff said they will return to a future work session with design visuals and more details for commissioner review.
