UNH will be switching to methane gas as its main fuel source within the next year. Plans are currently in progress to build a pipeline to route the gas from the nearby Turnkey Landfill to campus, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions and saving the university a substantial sum of money.

Located north of campus in Rochester at 30 Rochester Neck Road, Turnkey Landfill is estimated to be able to meet 85 percent of UNH’s energy needs. The methane, a byproduct of the decomposing garbage sitting in the landfill, will be pumped into the cogeneration plant on campus, providing the university with a renewable energy source. The total project is estimated to cost $33 million.

“We think it’s a great opportunity to reduce campus dependency on fossil-based fuels while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions,” explained Paul Chamberlin, interim assistant vice president for facilities.

While the methane pipeline certainly will benefit both the university and air quality overall, environmental concerns have arisen due to the ecosystem invasion required to install the piping. The pipeline will stretch 12.7 miles, crossing through valuable wetlands and wooded areas in Rochester, Dover, Madbury and Durham.

The pipeline will run through state-owned property alongside the Spaulding Turnpike until reaching the Cocheco River, where workers will need to drill beneath the water to install high-density plastic tubing. After tunneling below the river, the pipeline will also travel beneath the railroad tracks before reaching UNH.

“We will go through the lesser wetlands, the land with the least amount of biodiversity, and then repair them later,” said Chamberlin. “We also will not have to tear up the railroad since we can just drill underneath.”

Turnkey Landfill currently pumps methane into a subterranean well, which allows the landfill to draw the gas to produce small amounts of power. The landfill produces more gas than it needs, so the majority of the gas in the well is burned off. UNH’s pipeline will draw directly from this well.

Tom Kelly, the director of the Office of Sustainability, explained that UNH will mostly rely on the methane, but will continue to purchase electricity through Public Service of New Hampshire, since some buildings on campus will not be compatible with the new system. Kelly also says that the system will produce more electricity than the university can consume, which will allow the university sell the excess energy created by the cogeneration plant back to PSNH’s power grid.

“(The system) has a potential to bring in a source of profit for the university,” said Kelly. “It’s a great step forward for UNH.”
Turnkey Landfill was chosen due to a number of reasons, mainly because of its proximity to campus and the size of the landfill, which is the largest in the Seacoast area.