Green gas could add fizz to Coke

The Coca-Cola Co. became a global giant by carbonating soft drinks. Now, it could be interested in another kind of gas.

Coke is said to be considering tapping two Atlanta landfills as a source of clean-burning natural gas. Methane is naturally produced during decomposition of landfill waste.

The Jacoby Group Inc., which owns the gas rights at DeKalb County’s Live Oak landfill, hopes to process methane gas from the nearby Hickory Ridge landfill into clean-burning natural gas. An out-of-state utility has expressed interest in investing in the project, a source said.

“There’s no secret that we have talked to a number of potential partners about joining us on the [Live Oak] project,” Jacoby Group’s John Borden said. Those potential partners include utilities and private equity investors.

Negotiations are under way, but “we do not have the entire deal even under letter of intent, much less contract,” said an official with Atlanta-based Global Energy Systems, a subsidiary of Global Energy Holdings Group Inc. (Amex: GNH). Global Energy paid more than $3 million to acquire the Hickory Ridge landfill gas purchase rights.

While Coca-Cola declined to comment on any involvement with the potential landfill project, the company wants to add some green to its trademark red.

Read the rest of the bizzjournals.com article here.