EPA Recognizes Partners for Creative Use of Landfill Gas to Achieve Economic and Environmental Benefits (2010)

Each year, EPA recognizes the latest accomplishments of landfill methane partners who have reduced emissions of methane and created renewable energy. The Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) acknowledges its Partners for excellence in innovation and creativity, success in promoting project development, and achieving environmental and economic benefits. On January 19, 2011, Partners accepted the following awards at EPA’s 14th Annual LMOP Conference and Project Expo in Baltimore, Maryland.

Projects of the Year: For 2010, LMOP is pleased to recognize five projects that creatively use landfill gas (LFG) in a range of applications and capacities. These projects overcame barriers, created jobs, and applied innovative technology, creating a new source of renewable energy to benefit the local community.

• Frederick County Electricity Project, Winchester, VA — With no suitable potential direct users of LFG nearby, the County developed this two-engine project to generate approximately 2 megawatts of electricity to support the local power grid without needing to build additional transmission lines.
  
• Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority Small Engine Project, Christiansburg, VA — Proving once again that a closed landfill with a small amount of LFG available can provide a big service to the community, this 340-kilowatt electricity project was developed with cost-savings, local resources, and green education in mind.
  
• Newton County Renewable Energy Business Park LFG Direct-Use Project, Brook, IN — Urban Forest Recyclers, the first tenant in a brand new Renewable Energy Park that was purposefully located near the local landfill, relies solely on LFG to dry the egg cartons it manufacturers from recycled materials.
  
• Crow Wing County Small On-site LFG Boiler Project, Brainerd, MN — An innovative in-floor heating system for a maintenance building is fueled by only 30 standard cubic feet per minute of LFG, reducing natural gas usage by 70 percent and resulting in an expected savings of $5,000 per winter.
  
• Hoffman Road LFG and Bay View WWTP Digester Gas 10-MW Project, Toledo, OH — LFG and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) digester gas combine for an electric capacity of 10 megawatts in this unique project that employs a combustion turbine, a steam turbine, and a heat recovery steam generator.

Community Partner of the Year: Escambia County, Pensacola, FL — Escambia County brought together a diverse technical team and federal grant funding to develop a replacement project at its Perdido Landfill. Gulf Power purchases the initial 3.2 megawatts for its residential and commercial customers, and the project was designed for future expansion to 6.4 megawatts.