Landfill Gas to Provides Nearly One Quarter of California Cities' Power

Alameda and Palo Alto Use Landfill Gas as Reliable Source of Renewable Energy

One of California's largest renewable energy projects, a landfill gas to energy station at Republic Services’ Ox Mountain Landfill in Half Moon Bay, recently began operation. The electric output of the new plant will be sold to the cities of Alameda and Palo Alto. The annual electricity generated by the Ox Mountain project will prevent the release of 71,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. That is the equivalent of conserving 12 million therms of natural gas per year and reduces emissions equivalent to taking 11,800 cars off the road.

Alameda Municipal Power purchases 85 percent of its power from renewable energy resources. The Ox Mountain plant alone provides approximately 11 percent of the electricity consumed in the East Bay community. This new facility is one of three landfill-gas-to-energy resources presently powering Alameda.  These three plants will be joined later this year by a fourth facility at Republic Services’ Keller Canyon Landfill.  As a result, by the close of 2009, some 22 percent of Alameda's power will be generated by landfill-gas-to-energy plants.

Alameda is a city in northern California near Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. At the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 72,259.

As a direct result of its utility’s power portfolio, Alameda ranks among the lowest in greenhouse gas emissions in the State of California.  Known as "The Greenest Little Utility in America," environmental responsibility has been a major criterion in power resource selection and development by Alameda Municipal Power since the early 1980s. "The landfill gas to energy project at Ox Mountain allows us to offer our customers another carbon-free source of power, and continue our quarter century commitment to renewable energy," said Ann L. McCormick, P.E., President of the City of Alameda Public Utilities Board.

The nearby city of Palo Alto similarly has adopted goals of meeting 30 percent of its electric needs by 2012 and 33 precent by 2015 with new qualifying renewable resources like the Ox Mountain Landfill. Palo Alto’s share of the project is projected to supply about 4 percent of the City’s electric needs. "Making use of this renewable energy resource reduces the amount of market power we have to purchase, which reduces the need for fossil fuel-powered electric generation in California,” said Peter Drekmeier, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto. "By burning methane, which is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, this project has the added benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the landfill."

The project is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Ameresco, Inc., the nation’s largest independent energy services company. "The Ox Mountain Landfill gas to energy project reduces carbon emissions by making electricity out of a resource that was previously just wasted," said George Sakellaris, President, Ameresco, Inc. "It’s an ideal green energy solution."

The Ox Mountain landfill has been in operation since 1976, and will continue accepting garbage for another 35 years. Landfill gas is created when organic waste in landfills decomposes, producing methane–the primary ingredient in natural gas and a greenhouse gas. The landfill gas to energy plant captures the methane and turns it into electricity for use by residential and business customers. Converting landfill gas to energy prevents the release of greenhouse gases and creates electricity from a renewable, affordable source—reducing the need for power created from fossil fuels.

"The commissioning of this significant renewable energy resource for the people of California is another example of Republic’s commitment to the environment," said Jeff Andrews, Senior Vice President West Region, Republic Services, Inc. "This is a larger plant in terms of renewable electricity production from landfill gas, and also represents the current best available technology for emissions controls, making it an extremely clean renewable energy source."

Both Alameda and Palo Alto have been cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for participation in developing landfill-gas-to-energy resources.  Landfill-gas-to-energy utilization has been noted in other environmental awards accorded Alameda.

Read about more companies using energy from landfills.