From Refuse to Renewables: How One Tennessee Landfill Turns Emissions into Lower-Carbon Energy

At first glance, the Meadow Branch Landfill in Athens, Tennessee, may not seem like a likely showcase of clean energy production but beneath the surface, something remarkable is happening.

Southern Company Gas' renewable natural gas (RNG) facility at the Meadow Branch Landfill captures methane generated by decomposing waste and transforms it into pipeline-quality natural gas. Instead of allowing that methane to escape into the atmosphere, the facility upgrades it into a valuable energy resource that can be transported through existing natural gas infrastructure.

Operating since 2011, Meadow Branch was the first facility of its kind in eastern Tennessee. It is used by Southern Company Gas to help advance renewable fuel innovation. The facility demonstrates how RNG can complement traditional energy sources, help reduce emissions and support sustainability goals.

A Model for Future Renewable Fuel Projects
Meadow Branch continues to be a valuable resource for the company in its production of RNG from a landfill. In 2025, the facility produced more than 486,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas, enough energy to serve approximately 8,800 Tennessee homes for a year. By replacing an equivalent amount of geologic natural gas, the project is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 25,822 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Supporting the Growth of Cleaner Molecules
As Southern Company Gas works to expand lower-emission energy solutions, Meadow Branch demonstrates the company's "cleaner molecules" strategy in action. RNG from the facility has supported emissions reduction initiatives, including providing environmental attributes for company fleet-related efforts and other sustainability-focused projects.

The company's commitment to this effort is reflected in a two-year expansion that is expected to increase processing capacity and production of RNG by 30%, enhance operational reliability and continue to support methane emissions compliance at the landfill. The project also shows how renewable fuel investments can deliver multiple benefits, including emissions reductions, waste-to-value opportunities and reliable around-the-clock energy production.

Building Momentum Across the Footprint
Meadow Branch provides a blueprint for future renewable fuel development throughout Southern Company Gas' service area.

From additional RNG interconnections in Georgia and Illinois to new wastewater-to-RNG projects under development in Virginia, Southern Company Gas is advancing additional opportunities to grow renewable fuels.

As the energy landscape evolves, Meadow Branch demonstrates how innovation, infrastructure and sustainability can work together. Turning landfill emissions into a renewable resource that helps support a cleaner, more resilient energy future and means a better tomorrow for the communities where we live, work and serve.