American Environmental Landfill project uses methane to make electricity

[madokie]

Methane that previously was flared off trading co2 for methane which is much worst greenhouse gas than co2.
Another example of how the people in my state support renewables. We're fourth in wind power as it stand today also. At any rate this is a good read.

SAND SPRINGS - Someone's trash is truly someone else's treasure when it comes to the first landfill methane-to-electricity project in Oklahoma.

American Environmental Landfill's 70-acre site is now piping landfill gases into a processing and generation plant under a contract with Montauk Energy. The 3.2-megawatt facility was officially launched Wednesday with a ceremony involving officials of the companies, the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority of the Oklahoma Department of Energy.

"What's amazing to me is that simply by throwing something away it's actually turning on a light switch in someone's home today," said Todd Green, general manager of the landfill.

Pittsburgh-based Montauk Energy spent about $8 million to develop the project. Landfill gases, which are about 50 percent methane, are collected in gathering pipes and pumped into a processing plant. They ultimately fuel two 20-cylinder Caterpillar engines that power the generator.

The rest: http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/American_Environmental_Landfill_project_uses_methane/20130418_49_E1_CUTLIN98023

[kristopher]

1. This will be the gas fired back-up for a mostly wind/solar system someday.

Especially in a place like OK, you'll be able to meet virtually all your needs with wind and solar. Projects like this are going to be the final touch. Thanks for posting.

[mopinko]

2. i wonder if they use any catalysts to

get more methane? seems like you could flood these with catalysts to get all manner of gases.

anyway, waste management is betting pretty much their entire future on trash to energy. Dh has a pal that is a computer infra guy. his job is all about the process controls. huge data center.

[madokie]

3. From reading the story it sounds like they're just tapping the gases

My hope is they aren't using any catalyst because that would only speed up the process to where the waste would decompose faster and in turn it would run out sooner.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. The methane is produced by bacteria, using their normal metabolic enzymes --

so, in a sense, yes, as enzymes are remarkable catalysts.