Continuing the county’s long-running reputation as a leader in the green energy industry in Wisconsin, Dane County officials released plans last week to begin running the county’s trucks by transforming landfill trash into inexpensive gas. 

Last Thursday, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk announced a new green energy project in Dane County to help defray costs, as gas prices climb, while maintaining environmentally-friendly goals. 

Multiple private partners who recently teamed up with the county completed the construction of a new gas station, which will allow vehicles to fuel up on compressed natural gas. The new station will offer gas at 20 cents per gallon. 

This innovation has been developed throughout the last couple years and is the first of its kind in Wisconsin, a statement from Falk’s office said. 

According to Joshua Wescott, Falk’s spokesperson, this advancement is the first step to a promising pilot project that is environmentally friendly and will save costs for the local government in light of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget, which would drastically cut municipal government funding. 

Wescott said compressed natural gas is made by converting methane gas into a type of gas that can be run in vehicles. The fuel is free because landfills naturally produce methane gas. 

The reduced gas costs saves county taxpayers money by eliminating one of the county’s hefty costs of maintaining vehicles.

The county currently has 10 trucks in operation that are capable of running on compressed natural gas, though if the pilot plan is successful, taxpayers can expect to see additional compatible trucks in the future. 

Wescott said any trucks used for public works, such as landfills and highways, could run on this green fuel. Future expansion could dramatically increase savings, he said.

Because landfills produce methane gas for many years even after they are shut down, Wescott said as long as there continues to be garbage, the county does not have to worry about a future shortage on the resources used for the reduced price gas.

“We’re on the cusp of the next generation of filling stations,” Wescott said. “Do it less expensively and with domestic products. It’s better for the environment.”

According to the statement, this project grew out of a previous initiative to convert methane at the landfill into electricity.

The electricity initiative generates $4.3 million annually through a partnership with local utilities that buy the electricity. The methane gas diverted into production of compressed natural gas will be a minuscule amount and is not expected to affect the revenues brought in from the initial project, the statement said.

While Dane County is the first area of Wisconsin to install this type of gas station, there are already compressed natural gas filling stations in the retail market in other parts of the nation, Wescott said.

He added areas in the northeast and on west coast are already using this technology, which has expanded to allow consumers with vehicles adapted to compressed natural gas to enjoy cheaper gas prices. Since this fuel burns with less carbon emissions, consumers also contribute to cleaner air.

“It’s the future of transportation for people instead of spending money for foreign gas,” said Wescott.