Non-Transportation Fuels

The first groups of fuels we will discuss are those not currently used for transportation purposes, though such an application is not impossible. These are biogas, biomass, butane, coal, and syngas.

Biogas

Whenever organic matter decays, methane, carbon dioxide, and other gases are produced. Instead of allowing landfill gas to escape into the air, the gas can be captured, converted, and used as an energy source. Landfill gas can be used to generate electricity or as an alternative vehicle fuel.

Texas has the capacity to generate 83.6 megawatts (MW) of energy from biogas at 19 facilities.  A typical 3-megawatt facility can power 1,770 homes.  The oldest operating facility to generate electricity is in Ferris, Texas.  The Skyline Landfill was opened in 1942 and can produce 6.4 MW, or enough electricity for almost 4,000 homes.  The largest facility is in Humble, Texas, and can generate enough electricity from biogas to serve almost 7,000 homes.

Of the 2,500 landfills in the United States, only 340 currently operate gas-to-energy projects. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that as many as 600 additional landfills could cost-effectively convert biogas into enough electricity to power 1 million homes and reduce pollution by an amount equivalent to removing over 13 million cars from our highways.