BMW extends biogas partnership for eight years

BMW Manufacturing has extended its partnership with Amerisco Inc for an additional eight years. Amerisco constructed a 9.5-mile pipeline from the Palmetto Landfill to Plant Spartanburg in the US on behalf of the automotive firm.
Two decades ago, BMW Manufacturing began using recycled methane gas from a local landfill to provide electricity and hot water for the plant.
It has resulted in reductions of over 9,200 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. Currently, about 20% of Plant Spartanburg’s total energy needs (electricity and heat) are provided by landfill gas.
The partnership extension means 74,000 tons of CO₂ emissions will be reduced over the next eight years, according to BMW Manufacturing.
“For two decades, this project has been a win-win for Upstate South Carolina. It greatly reduces CO₂ emissions, resulting in cleaner, healthier air for everyone to breathe,” said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing.
“Intelligent resource management and the fight against climate change are expressions of our sense of responsibility. The BMW Group will reduce CO₂ emissions per vehicle by 40 percent from 2019 levels by 2030 across the spectrum.”
“The old saying that ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure’ is literally true for our landfill gas-to-energy project,” said Manfred Pernitsch, vice president of Real Estate Management and Environmental Protection for the Americas.
“This project has greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution for two decades. We have used the energy produced by our turbines to heat the office and production areas as well as heat our water, saving BMW several million dollars each year.”
When the partnership began, Ameresco designed and built the 9.5-mile pipeline from the Palmetto Landfill to Plant Spartanburg as well as the gas processing and compression facilities.
“When we look back to the start of this partnership more than 20 years ago, sustainability was in its infancy. While it was not a common topic in many Corporate America board rooms, it was for our partners at BMW. We are excited to be celebrating the renewal of an innovative project engagement that was far ahead of its time,” said Michael Bakas, Ameresco’s executive vice president.
“We are also grateful for the many core team members at BMW whose passion for sustainability resulted in a best-in-class project to harness the power of biogas solutions to usher in a cleaner era for the auto industry.”