ENERGY USE AND RELATED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
For the Energy Use Reduction area of focus, the Operational Energy Strategy has a target of reducing energy use by 25% by 2030 and 50% by 2040 below 2018 levels. Energy Use Reduction is directly linked and key to carbon energy reduction. For example, in 2025, energy use accounted for approximately 62.7% of DPWES’ operational and existing facility energy carbon emissions. The remaining carbon emissions were from transportation fuels such as diesel and E10 gasoline. DPWES’ energy use and associated carbon emission sources include grid electricity, natural gas, propane, and #2 Fuel Oil for heating.
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction (GHGs) metric includes reductions in DPWES energy carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions. GHG Emissions Reductions are measured and reported as “carbon dioxide equivalent,” or CO2e to capture the different global warming potentials (GWP) of the three GHGs. Energy GHG sources include grid electricity, natural gas, propane, and #2 fuel oil.
Scope
The Energy Use Reduction area of focus includes DPWES buildings, infrastructure, and operations. The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction (GHGs) area of focus includes carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (NOx). GHG Emissions Reduction metric is measured and reported as “carbon dioxide equivalent,” or CO2e to capture the different global warming potentials (GWP) of the three GHGs.
Sources
DPWES’ energy use and energy-related carbon sources include grid electricity, natural gas, propane, and fuel oil for heating measures and reported as a million British thermal units or MMBtu. A Btu is a standard unit of measurement commonly used to combine different sources of energy. DPWES building, infrastructure, and operational carbon energy sources include grid electricity, natural gas, propane, and fuel oil for heating.
Target(s)
The 2030 target is a 25% reduction in energy use and a 50% reduction in energy-related carbon emissions below 2018 levels.
Benefits
2025 building, infrastructure, and operational electricity is 34,288,135.24 kWh lower compared to 2018 levels. Electricity cost avoidance in 2025 is approximately $3,223,085. 2025 energy-related carbon emissions were 20,113 metric tons (MT) CO2e lower compared to 2018 levels. This is equivalent to 4,191 homes’ electricity use for one year.
Progress
In 2025, DPWES reduced its energy use 19.8% below the baseline level of 2018 to ~386,550 million Btus (MMBtus). In 2025, DPWES reduced its energy-related carbon to ~24,523 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e). This reduction is 45.1% below the baseline level of 2018.
Energy Use Reduction chart
Energy Use Reduction progress
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction chart
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction progress
Click on figures to enlarge.
Highlights
In 2023 through 2025, the Solid Waste Management Program (SWMP) completed energy efficiency Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lighting projects at its Newington Refuse and Recycling Collection Operations Facility, I-95 Landfill Complex and I-66 Transfer Station Facility. The new LED lighting will save nearly 76,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, which is a cost-avoidance of nearly $10,000 per year. The electricity saving is equivalent to nearly 47 metric tons of greenhouse gases and all the electricity used by more than 10 households every year.
The county’s 5-year Light Emitting Diodes (LED) Streetlight Conversion Plan will convert nearly 58,000 existing mercury vapor, high pressure sodium and metal halide fixtures to LED streetlights. This conversion plan is projected to generate savings of $1,400,000 once all fixtures are converted and remove 14,700 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. More information about the LED Streetlight Conversion Plan is available at Streetlights | Public Works and Environmental Services.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
The onsite Renewable Energy generation area of focus includes DPWES landfill gas capture (LFG) and reuse and rooftop solar photovoltaic systems (solar).
Scope
The Renewable Energy area of focus includes DPWES onsite renewable energy generation and use for its facilities and operations.
Sources
DPWES’ renewable energy sources include landfill gas capture and reuse (LFG), and solar photovoltaic systems (Solar) measured and reported as a million British thermal units or MMBtu. A Btu is a standard unit of measurement for heat content and is commonly used to combine different sources of energy.
Target(s)
DPWES has renewable energy targets of generating 25% of DPWES’ 2018 electricity use as renewable energy by 2030 and 50% by 2040.
Benefits
In 2025, DPWES’ renewable energy generation and use and renewable energy green credits reduced overall operational GHG emissions by 3,019 metric tons, which is equivalent to 630 homes’ electricity use for the year.
In 2025 alone, renewable energy generation and use saved the county over $840,000 in avoided energy costs.
Progress
In 2025, DPWES produced 9.5% of its 2018 electricity use through landfill gas capture and reuse at the I-95 and I-66 closed landfills and solar systems located at the Newington and I-66 Transfer Station facilities. Solar accounted for nearly 27% of the total generation.
On August 9, 2024, DPWES completed its first solar installation at its Newington Refuse and Recycling Collection Operations Facility Office located in Lorton, VA. The 150-kilowatt solar facility generated 167.3 megawatt-hours of electricity in 2025. Additionally, on May 15, 2025, DPWES completed a 350-kilowatt solar installation at its I-66 Transfer Station Facility located in Fairfax, VA. The facility generated 343.7 megawatt-hours of electricity in 2025. The combined landfill gas capture and reuse and solar electricity generation totaled 32,253 MMBtus of renewable energy generation in 2025.
Renewable Energy chart
Renewable Energy progress
Click on figures to enlarge.
Highlights
DPWES recovers landfill gas (LFG) from its I-95 and I-66 closed landfill sites to produce electricity, incinerate bio-solids at the nearby Noman M. Cole, Jr. Water Recycling Facility and heat maintenance facilities near the I-66 Transfer Station. The county’s LFG use prevents the release of an estimated 362,500 tons of greenhouse gases annually, which is equivalent to removing more than 70,000 cars from the road per year.
Our Operational Energy Strategy has set a goal for carbon neutrality in facilities, including 50 percent of county electricity from renewable sources, by 2040.
On May 15, 2025, the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Solid Waste Management Program completed a solar installation at the I-66 Transfer Station Facility located in Fairfax, VA.
The project includes 644 high-efficiency rooftop solar photovoltaic panels for onsite power generation totaling 350 kilowatts. The project will generate approximately 369 thousand kilowatt-hours of electric energy per year, saving the county nearly $1.5 million in energy costs over 20 years. The solar arrays will reduce over 216 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, which is equivalent to 45 homes’ electricity use for one year.
