Using Captured Methane to Power Buses

A new bioenergy facility in Maryland will convert captured methane to Renewable Natural Gas.

1 minute read

June 29, 2023, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Drawing of Piscataway Bioenergy Facility

Rendering of the Piscataway Bioenergy Facility in Accokeek, Maryland. | WSSC Water / Piscataway Energy Facility

WSSC Water, a bi-county water agency serving Prince George and Montgomery Counties in Maryland, is partnering with Montgomery County to build a bioenergy facility that will capture methane gas produced during wastewater treatment and turn it in to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) to be used for the county’s Ride On buses.

Patrick Herron describes the Piscataway Bioenergy Facility in an article for The MoCo show, writing, “Once construction of the bioenergy facility is complete in the fall of 2024, all biosolids from WSSC Water’s five other plants will be delivered to the new facility. Through innovative technology, the amount of biosolids left over from the new treatment process will be significantly reduced and cleaner (Class A). A state-of-the-art digestion process creating these Class-A biosolids will generate methane gas, which will be captured and upgraded on site to RNG.” WSSC also plans to sell renewable energy credits.

“Construction of the $271 million facility in Accokeek, Maryland, began in the spring of 2019 and is expected to be substantially complete by November 2024.” County Executive Marc Elrich said “This agreement to turn methane gas into fuel for our buses is a win-win-win for our constituents, commuters and, most importantly, our environment.”

Thursday, June 22, 2023 in The MoCo Show

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

4 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

6 hours ago - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine