|
- |
The methane gas is recovered via a series of wells drilled into the landfill. These wells are connected by a common pipe system that collects the gas and transports it to a nearby compression facility.
At the compression facility, the landfill gas is de-watered, filtered and pressurized. The gas is piped to an electricity generating plant, on- or off-site, where it is used as fuel to turn engines or turbines to generate electricity. Landfill gas may also be piped offsite to industrial customers for use as an alternative fuel source. To complete the cycle, the electricity is delivered via utility transmission lines to residential and commercial customers.| WHAT: A power plant that runs 24 hours a day and converts methane gas, produced by trash, into electricity to power homes
WHERE: King George landfill WHEN: Site work starts this week, plant should be operating by spring. WHO OWNS IT? Waste Management Inc., the company that operates the landfill COST TO BUILD: $12.4 million OTHERS LIKE IT? This is the company's sixth such plant in Virginia. Others are in Suffolk, Hampton and the counties of Amelia, Charles City and Gloucester. The Stafford-Fredericksburg regional landfill and Fauquier County landfill also have methane power plants. THE LARGEST: Other plants in Virginia generate 5 to 7 megawatts of electricity. The King George plant will produce 9.8 megawatts of electricity when it opens. It will start with three turbines and is approved to add a fourth, if needed.
--Waste Management Inc. |
