Dive Brief:

• Ameresco Inc. has completed a new landfill gas-to-energy facility at the Orchard Hills Generating Station near Rockford, IL which it will begin operating soon, as reported by Renewable Energy from Waste.
• The station is located at a landfill operated by Advanced Disposal. This will be the fourth facility that Ameresco is operating for Indiana-based Hoosier Energy.
• The facility will be run by six 620 GE Jenbacher engines and produce 16 MW of energy, enough to power more than 8,000 homes.

Dive Insight:

Landfill gas-to-energy projects continue to open at a frequent rate as methane capture remains a high federal priority and states are looking to meet renewable energy goals. This demand has attracted interest from companies like Ameresco, which works on a number of different energy systems, and international companies which see potential in owning the rights to specific turbine technologies.

Waste management companies often highlight the amount of energy created at their landfills as well as benefit from the odor reduction that occurs. These projects also help corporations meet sustainability goals. General Motors and S.C. Johnson were recently recognized in the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Leadership Awards for their use of energy from landfill gas.

Depending on how governments approach their air quality regulations though, these projects may conflict with other environmental goals. New nitrogen oxide reduction standards in California have led some landfills to revert back to flaring their gas. Some also say that even the most advanced gas collection systems are still masking a larger issue of landfill dependence.