Using Landfill Gas to Power 10,000 Homes
Did you know gas produced by landfills is a source of energy? The gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in landfills is known as landfill gas. It is created by wet organic waste decomposing under anaerobic, or oxygen-less, conditions in a landfill. This gas is considered a renewable energy source because the anaerobic digestion of the waste materials ultimately reduces the amount of waste that accumulates on our planet.
In partnership with Orange County, OUC captures methane emissions from county landfill cells and pipes it to Stanton Energy Center where it is co-fired with coal. In addition to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the landfills, the 8-megawatt (MW) green energy program displaces more than 3 percent of the fossil fuel required for SEC Units 1 and 2 and provides enough electricity every day for 10,000 homes. The OUC facility at the Orange County Landfill produces more than 100,000 MWH of reduced-emissions power – offsetting about 44,000 tons of coal each year.
Looking to the future, OUC and Orange County have signed new agreements for future landfill projects – expanding capacity to 22 MW. OUC is also exploring a landfill gas project in Osceola County.
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