Florida gas utility to help customers turn waste into renewables
Natural gas utility TECO Peoples Gas, based in Florida, aims to enable industrial customers to capture and sell waste biogas. The Emera subsidiary has won the full backing of Florida's Public Service Commission to clean or condition byproduct gases from customers, such as landfills. TECO will also allow that gas to be transported via its pipelines.

Florida natural gas utility TECO Peoples Gas expects to launch a new service next year that will allow certain customers, such as landfills, to create renewable natural gas from waste.

The company, a subsidiary of Canada-based Emera Inc (TSE:EMA), on Tuesday secured unanimous approval for the new service from the Florida Public Service Commission.

Renewable natural gas is produced from organic waste, such as gases generated by landfills or water treatment plants. After cleaning or conditioning it is ready for injection into Peoples Gas' pipeline. With the new service the utility will be able to clean or condition a customer's biogas, while customers will be allowed to transport their renewable natural gas using Peoples Gas' pipeline in some circumstances.

"We are excited to be the first utility in Florida – and among the first in the country – to offer this innovative new service," said Peoples Gas president TJ Szelistowski. "This is a win for the environment, a win for our customers, and a win for the communities we serve," Szelistowski added.

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