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 Documents,
Tools and Resources
DTE Biomass Energy
Developing a Greener Future
DTE Biomass Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of DTE Energy Company.
DTE Energy is a national company with over $4 billion in revenues that
provides energy and energy-related services nationwide, including electric,
solar, and biomass energy, energy conservation services, environmental
consulting, and renewable energy education. DTE Biomass has participated
in landfill gas-to-energy projects since 1987, when it constructed Michigan's
first landfill gas-fired combustion turbine facility. It has developed
into one of the nation's largest landfill gas recovery companies, operating
22 landfill gas recovery facilities for cities, counties, and private
landfill owners in 14 states.
DTE Biomass Energy has proven to be a key player in LFGTE project
development, helping communities across the country realize the potential
of landfill gas. Its coast-to-coast activities cover a range of applications,
from electric power to steam boiler fuel to high Btu, and serve a varied
and impressive list of clients, such as the Orlando Utilities Commission,
Mallinckrodt Chemical, Lorusso Corp., and Cargill Corp. With the potential
to recover more than 70 million cubic feet of landfill gas per day, this
is a net environmental benefit equivalent to heating more that 300,000
households. A charter LMOP Industry Ally, the LMOP recognized DTE Biomass
Energy as the 1998 LMOP Industry Ally of the Year.
DTE Biomass Energy's recovers methane gas from landfills, then converts
this waste byproduct into steam or electricity. Its 2.4-megawatt facility
at Ford Motor Company's Wayne Assembly Plant helps one of Detroit Edison's
largest customers reduce its energy costs. Besides four Michigan locations,
DTE Energy's activities include projects in California, Florida, Illinois,
Massachusetts, and North Carolina. The company operates the power generating
facilities associated with its biomass projects and sells electricity
to other utilities. It also sells landfill gas to industrial hosts, including
an asphalt manufacturer in Massachusetts, a brick kiln in Alabama, and
a paper mill in Florida.
DTE Biomass Energy's landfill gas utilization projects have proven commercially
successful while helping landfill owners meet their environmental commitments.
Its extensive operating and project development experience in landfill
gas-to-energy systems has translated into successful gas migration, monitoring,
and control programs throughout the United States.
In 1998, DTE Biomass Energy's methane recovery totaled nearly 140,000
tons, or a CO2 equivalent of more than 2.9 million tons. These landfill
gas recovery projects are contributing notably to DTE Energy's greenhouse
gas reduction programs. "In addition to reducing greenhouse gases, we
help our parent company, DTE Energy, meet its voluntary emissions reductions
commitments to the U.S. Department of Energy," said Curt Ranger, president
of DTE Biomass Energy.
Summary of Benefits
- Commercially Successful Projects
- Significant CO2 Reductions
Lessons Learned
- Make sure customers understand reliability of
landfill gas.
- Develop a back-up energy source if interruptions
are unacceptable due to power outages.
- Work with the landfill owner to achieve common
and exclusive goals (e.g., continegency plan to control gas migration
and surface emissions).
What Is Landfill Gas?
Most of the waste we generate ends up in landfills,
where it decomposes and produces landfill gas. Landfill gas released
into the air smells bad, contributes to local smog, and is an explosion
hazard. Additionally, landfill gas is about 50 percent methane,
a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change.
However, this methane is also a reliable and renewable fuel source
that, if not collected, goes to waste. |
The Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) is a voluntary program
that assists project developers, utilities, landfill owner/operators,
energy users, and communities to encourage new landfill gas-to-energy
projects. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has developed a variety
of tools (e.g., profiles, fact sheets, project development manuals, software,
etc.) to facilitate the development of landfill gas-to-energy projects.
Hundreds of landfills across the country are good candidates for a landfill
gas-to-energy project. To find out more, please contact LMOP.
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