About the Project

The CommunityTIES Project is a landfill gas development initiative working with counties in North Carolina to facilitate development of landfill gas-to-energy projects that are community-based with a primary focus on generating economic development outcomes. The statewide project is managed by the Appalachian State University Energy Center with funding from the GoldenLEAF foundation, the N.C. State Energy Office, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. To learn more about the project and its supporters, please visit the project information page.

Partner Landfills

The CommunityTIES Project serves as a facilitator of local economic development by leveraging landfill gas as a local energy source. The project assists county governments in development of their closed landfills by evaluating the value of their resource, serving as a neutral broker between the county and technology- and service-providing organizations, and providing assistance in fund-seeking efforts. As part of these activities, the project partners with local communities to develop their landfill gas resources. To learn more about our partner communities and their landfill resources, please visit the partner section.

Landfill Gas

As waste decomposes in landfills, methane gas is produced. Because it is rich in energy, methane can be utilized in many ways to benefit local communities. The CommunityTIES Project is modeled on the award-winning EnergyXchange landfill gas project at the Yancey-Mitchell County landfill which uses LFG as fuel for glass furnaces, a pottery kiln, and to heat greenhouses used to propagate native species. Other examples abound within the state of how LFG can be used to drive local development, with an industrial park developing around Catawba County's landfill and the Jackson County Green Energy Park, which uses LFG to fuel blacksmith studios and other local industries. To learn more landfill gas collection, use, and value please visit the landfill gas section.