 | |  Alameda Power & Telecom and Palo Alto Landfill Gas Energy Project
| Location | Watsonville, California | | End User(s) | Alameda Power & Telecom, City of Palo Alto | | Sector(s) | Utility | | Landfill(s) | Buena Vista Disposal Site | | Landfill Size | 2 million tons waste-in-place (2001) | | Project Type | Reciprocating Engine (three GE-Jenbacher 1,060 kW engines) | | Project Size | 3.18 megawatts (MW) | | Environmental Benefits | Carbon sequestered annually by 3,600 acres of pine or fir forests, annual greenhouse gas emissions from 2,900 passenger vehicles, or carbon dioxide emissions from 36,700 barrels of oil consumed. Annual energy savings equate to powering 2,000 homes. Estimated emissions reductions of 0.0043 million metric tons of carbon equivalents. | | LMOP Partners Involved | Alameda Power & Telecom, Ameresco, City of Palo Alto, GE Energy-Jenbacher Gas Engines |
 When Palo Alto committed to increase the percentage of its electricity load from renewable energy, customers flocked to its green power program. To meet the community’s demand and to meet its own green energy goals, Palo Alto teamed with Alameda Power to pursue landfill gas (LFG) energy projects. Their combined effort earned them recognition as LMOP’s 2007 Energy Partners of the Year.
The utilities worked with project developer Ameresco to actively pursue several LFG opportunities in their own backyard. In January 2006, the Buena Vista Landfill project began generating 3.18 MW of green power. The output helps Palo Alto meet its renewable energy goals and adds to Alameda’s impressive portfolio of 80 percent renewables.
Several LFG energy projects will provide 18.6 MW of renewable energy in 2008:
- Buena Vista Landfill gas energy project (3.18 MW)
- Ox Mountain Landfill gas energy project (11.4 MW)
- Keller Canyon Landfill gas energy project (4.0 MW)
Both utilities continue their pursuit of renewable energy. Alameda signed an agreement with yet another LFG energy project. Plus, Palo Alto now routes LFG from its own landfill to the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control plant. Landfill gas is used for thermal processing of sewage, saving an estimated $250,000 annually versus using natural gas.
Palo Alto's strong environmental ethic…continues today through supporting renewable energy projects like [the Buena Vista Landfill project]. By securing this long-term contract for landfill gas, we can continue to serve our customers reliably and responsibly through our ongoing commitment to clean energy. —Girish Balachandran, Assistant Director of Resource Management, City of Palo Alto Utilities Last Updated: 8/18/2008
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