Landfill Gas-To-Energy Generators Transform Methane Gas Into Green Power
Sun Valley, CA, July 20, 2006 – With summer temperatures soaring throughout California and leading to stress on the state’s power suppliers, Waste Management in Sun Valley is offering a better way to help keep local residents cool. Waste Management’s Bradley Landfill and Recycling Center, in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, is currently generating enough clean energy to power 10,000 Los Angeles homes.

The green power, which is produced by capturing landfill methane gas, a natural by-product of decomposing garbage, is produced at Waste Management’s site, and fed directly to the local power grid. Methane gas is captured in a series of wells throughout the landfill, which is then fed into a natural gas turbine where it is converted into electricity.

“Waste Management is the only Los Angeles waste company that currently captures natural gas to turn it into energy,” said Doug Corcoran, Director of Special Operations for the company. “This process helps us close the loop, taking what would otherwise be waste and putting it to good use – it’s a complete circle and a great use of an abundantly available resource.”

Typically, landfills simply “flare” off excess methane gas generated by landfill decomposition. This process, however, only wastes the potential energy produced by landfills. Waste Management was the first to capture this gas and use it to create energy.

Waste Management’s 100 renewable energy projects produce enough electricity to power more than 800,000 homes and save the equivalent of 8.2 million barrels of oil per year. Nationally, WM currently supplies enough landfill gas to create more than 250 megawatts of green energy – enough to power 225,000 homes, replacing over 2 million barrels of oil per year.