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 2005 EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program Partner and Project of the Year Awards
On January 18, 2006, EPA recognized Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) partners who have reduced emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Biodiesel Industries, Chester County, PA, City of Denton, TX, Fairfax County, VA, Granger Energy, Interface Flooring, Inc., Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Santee Cooper, and Wabash Valley Power Association were presented Partner and Project of the Year Awards for excellence in reducing landfill methane emissions and creating renewable energy at the EPA LMOP Ninth Annual Conference and Project Expo in Baltimore. >> Project and Partner award photos.
LMOP Project of the Year (Direct Use) - Lanchester Landfill Gas Utilization Project
The Lanchester Landfill Gas Utilization Project, developed by LMOP Industry Partner Granger Energy, received Project of the Year for its multi-end user project in south-central Pennsylvania. The project includes a 13-mile pipeline to transport 4,000 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) of LFG from LMOP Community Partner Chester County Solid Waste Authority's landfill across 75 land easements and 35 road crossings. As the first multi-user project in the state, Granger successfully petitioned the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) to be exempt from regulation as a public utility. LMOP State Partner Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) provided grant money to fund an LFG-fueled engine for the processing facility. Dart Container Corporation is currently using the LFG to fuel nine boilers, two ovens, and two thermal oxidizers and is 100-percent reliant on LFG for its energy needs. Advanced Food Products is also utilizing the LFG to fuel three boilers, and an additional one or two more customers are expected to be online this year. Granger estimates the project purchased more than $1 million in local materials and created more than 100 temporary construction jobs for local contractors.
LMOP Project of the Year (Electricity Generation) - Santee Cooper's Green Power Generating Station
LMOP Energy Partner Santee Cooper and LMOP Industry Partner Allied Waste teamed up for a green power generating facility at the Lee County Landfill in South Carolina. The $7 million facility consists of three 1.8 megawatt (MW) GE Jenbacher engines and is the second renewable energy project for Santee Cooper, which offers the green power to its customers, including 15 of the state's electric cooperatives. Since 2001, Santee Cooper has sold more than 10,000 kilowatt-hours of LFGE electricity. Santee Cooper plans to increase its green power portfolio with more LFG, with the potential expansion at the Lee County Landfill to more than 21.6 MW by 2010. Santee Cooper  is leading the way for green power programs in the Southeast, with plans for 54 MW of green power on line by 2012.
LMOP Project of the Year (Alternate Fuel) - Biodiesel Production Facility, Denton, Texas
LMOP Energy Partner Biodiesel Industries, Inc. is working with LMOP Industry Partner DTE Energy to utilize LFG to fuel the process needs of a 3 million gallon biodiesel production facility in Texas. This is the first facility of its kind in the world where LFG is used to produce this alternative vehicle fuel. Processed hot water drives the chemical process that converts renewable feedstock, vegetable oils, and animal fats to biodiesel. In turn, the biodiesel fuels the city's fleet of garbage trucks and other utility vehicles. Utilizing the 100,000 Btus of LFG for powering the biodiesel plant allows Biodiesel Industries and the City of Denton, Texas, a partner in the project and LMOP Community Partner, to hedge fuel prices and utilize a renewable energy source, further benefiting the environment. The Denton Landfill, which was highlighted at the LMOP Project Expo in 2003, will also house a larger LFGE project expected to be operational in 2006.
LMOP Industry Partner of the Year - Granger Energy
LMOP Industry Partner Granger Energy , with more than 30 years of landfill experience, was the first to develop an LFGE project in Michigan back in 1985. Granger owns and operates both landfills and LFGE projects, with 13 projects developed or in development in six states. Granger previously won LMOP's 2001 Industry Partner of the Year for its LFGE project with Rolls-Royce. The LFGE projects are a mix of both electricity generating and direct use. Granger offers its project partners a range of contracting structures where benefits are shared proportionally with the amount of risk. Additionally, Granger has pioneered discussions with the public utility commissions in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio to ensure that qualifying LFG projects are not regulated as public utilities. This year's Project of the Year at the Lanchester Landfill is an example of Granger's determination to see a project through.
LMOP Energy Partner of the Year (End User) - Interface Flooring Systems
LMOP Energy Partner Interface Flooring Systems has a corporate mission that promotes projects that are both environmentally sustainable and economically feasible. In 2000, the company reached out to the City of LaGrange, Georgia, to build a 10-mile pipeline (PDF, 16 pp., 3,110 KB, About PDF) to bring the LFG from the city's landfill to its carpet production facility. This pipeline became operational in October 2005, reducing Interface's natural gas demand at the facility by 20 percent. Additionally by securing the GHG reduction credits generated by the landfill's flare, the project helped Interface offset all its GHG emissions for its North American manufacturing facilities. Interface has been successful in gathering media interest in its LFG project, which is stimulating other corporate interest in LFGE.
LMOP Energy Partner of the Year (Provider) - Wabash Valley Power Association
LMOP Energy Partner Wabash Valley Power Association is a generation and transmission cooperative based in Indiana, providing wholesale power to 27 distribution systems in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. In 2005, Wabash Valley Power constructed two new LFGE facilities (Jay County, Indiana and Liberty, Indiana) and acquired three other existing Indiana facilities for a total of 22 MW of LFG-fueled generation in its power portfolio. The projects were developed in partnership with LMOP Industry Partner Waste Management. The plants all consist of Caterpillar 3516 engine-generators, which are manufactured in Indiana, enhancing further the in-state economic benefit of these projects. Wabash Valley Power created the green power product EnviroWatts® to sell the renewable energy to its customers, with over 4% of Wabash's customers purchasing green power through EnviroWatts.
LMOP State Partner of the Year - Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) joined LMOP in 2003. They have launched a number of initiatives to encourage and foster the use of LFG. One tool is the Pennsylvania Landfill Methane Database , which catalogs landfills and LFG projects. PA DEP also worked with LMOP to develop A Primer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Developing Landfill Gas Utilization. The state passed the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, which lists LFGE as a Tier I technology. In addition, PA DEP has been very active in providing grant assistance to LFG projects. The Harvest Energy Grant has provided funding to three LFGE projects, the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant provided more than $1 million for LFG use as an alternative fuel, and the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority funded two LFG projects in 2005.
LMOP Community Partner of the Year - Fairfax, County, Virginia
LMOP Community Partner Fairfax County, Virginia owns and operates the I-95 Landfill , which has a 6.4 MW electricity project, as well as a direct use project of approximately 1,000 scfm of LFG at its wastewater treatment plant. Although most of the LFG collected was being utilized, the County decided to replace their existing propane-fired heating system onsite in the maintenance shop with LFG-fired infrared tube heaters (PPT, 16 pp., 4,683 KB) to further maximize LFG utilization. The County connected small diameter pipes to supply the LFG at 12-15 scfm for the five heaters. Activated carbon drums were used to filter out siloxanes prior to delivery to the burners. The new LFG heating system improved the working conditions in the shop by heating objects, rather than air, which was quickly lost through the overhead doors. The County will benefit from the money saved by the avoided purchase of the propane, and the use of LFG will reduce GHG emissions.
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