BATH, N.Y. (WENY) -- As an alternative to flaring bio-gas in landfills, Waga Energy brought a new solution to Steuben County: gas capture and purification to power the community. The WAGABOX is an apparatus of machinery designed to take landfill gas and turn it into renewable natural gas to help power the community while keeping the air clean.

"The biogas, which is collected and purified by our WAGABOX unit into renewable natural gas. This energy is then injected into the local gas pipeline to deliver clean energy to the local community, closing the circular economic loop," said Guenael Prince, the CEO of Waga Energy's US subsidiary.

Located at the Steuben County Landfill, the WAGABOX is the first of its kind in North America -- and its already contributing to local natural gas infrastructure by turning pollutants into profits. Several more are in development across the United States and Canada.

"This joint project with Steuben County and Corning Natural Gas represents a major milestone in the fight against climate change and for the energy transition," remarked Mathieu Lefebvre, Waga Energy's Global CEO.

The purified renewable natural gas is being delivered to the Corning Natural Gas pipeline network. County officials say it will help provide sustainable energy to over 4,000 households along with dividends to the county.

"There is some fruit in this for us if they continue to succeed in delivering the gas that they say they are going to deliver. So in the long term there is some revenue for the county in this directly and locally so that's wonderful," said Eric Rose of Steuben County's Buildings and Grounds Department.

The renewable natural gas produced by the WAGABOX will be going directly to the Corning Natural Gas pipelines. It'll be taking out 13,500 tons of CO2 emissions annually, helping keep the area clean and powering the local community.