Manatee County is moving forward with a $50 million renewable energy project designed to convert methane gas from the Lena Road Landfill into usable fuel, creating a new source of energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The county is partnering with Nopetro Energy, Johnson Controls and Mead & Hunt to develop the renewable natural gas facility, which project organizers say will be the first of its kind on Florida’s west coast.
The facility will be located at 3333 Lena Road in Bradenton, on approximately one acre of the county’s 1,170-acre landfill property. It will capture methane produced by decomposing waste, clean and process the gas to meet pipeline-quality standards, and distribute the resulting renewable natural gas through existing infrastructure.
The fuel could be used by transportation customers, including bus and truck fleets, as a lower-carbon alternative to conventional fossil fuels.
Nopetro Energy will develop and operate the facility, while Johnson Controls and Mead & Hunt are providing engineering, design and construction-related services.
Project partners estimate the facility could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to burning approximately 5.3 million gallons of gasoline annually. The facility is also projected to produce enough renewable energy to equal the annual energy needs of more than 4,500 homes, with an environmental benefit comparable to the carbon absorbed by approximately 22,000 acres of forest.
Those figures are estimates provided by the project partners and have not been independently verified.
The project is expected to generate approximately 50 construction jobs and five permanent positions once operational.
The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners approved moving forward with the renewable natural gas initiative in October 2025. The project is intended to capture methane that would otherwise be burned off through the landfill’s existing gas management system and convert it into a marketable energy product.
In addition to its environmental benefits, the facility could provide a new revenue source for the county through the sale of renewable natural gas.
Construction is planned for 2026, with operations anticipated to begin in 2027.
The project represents a significant investment in Manatee County’s energy infrastructure and an effort to turn landfill waste into a usable resource while supporting long-term environmental sustainability.
