As part of this $13 million project, Ameresco plans to capture the landfill gas generated at the Vasco Road Landfill in Livermore, California and use it as fuel to generate power for homes and businesses in the Santa Clara and San Francisco Bay Area. The project is scheduled to commence operations in late 2012.
“The Vasco Road project is Republic’s seventh landfill gas to energy venture in California, representing nearly 41 MW of electricity,” said Brian Bales, executive vice president business development for Republic. “In addition to converting gas from a landfill into renewable-based electricity, the project’s construction and operation will add new green jobs and economic benefits to the local economy, and it will help the state meet its commitment to increase its renewable energy portfolio standard.”
“We are excited to proceed forward with this new renewable energy project in California,” said Mike Bakas, senior vice president, renewable energy at Ameresco. “This project, along with many others that we’ve successfully completed in California, will support the state’s ambitious goal of 33 percent renewable generation by the year 2020. We are pleased to work with our partners and laud their dedication to creating a more sustainable environment.”
Republic Services and Ameresco partnered to develop this project that uses landfill gas from the Republic Services landfill located at 4001 North Vasco Road. Landfill gas, which is created when organic material naturally decomposes in a landfill, consists of about 50 percent methane. A reliable and readily available local alternative to fossil fuels, landfill gas can be converted to generate electricity, heat or steam, or used as an alternative vehicle fuel. The landfill gas project is one of Republic Services’ 73 alternative energy projects at its landfills nationwide.
Ameresco has entered into a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Silicon Valley Power, the City of Santa Clara’s electric utility, for the power from the project. As part of California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), the state required retail sellers of electricity to serve 20 percent of their load with renewable energy by 2010. Now, all utilities must serve 33 percent of their load with renewable energy by 2020.
“We are pleased to partner with Ameresco on its landfill gas-to-electricity project and to buy the power generated from this renewable resource,” said Jan Pepper, Electric Division Manager for Silicon Valley Power. “This project in particular plays a very important role as it provides base load generation at a competitive price, and enables us to continue to exceed the state’s RPS requirements for our customers. This allows us to offer our customers a reliable, renewable source of power.”
By using the landfill gas for this beneficial reuse project and replacing fossil fuels, the direct and avoided emissions are equivalent to removing 30,000 cars off of the road or planting more than 36,000 acres of pine trees over the term of the contract.
The Vasco Road Landfill, which is owned and operated by Republic Services, opened in 2001 and is one of the main recipients of refuse from residents and businesses in the North Livermore rural area. The landfill covers 323 acres of land and employs more than 14 area residents.
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