Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority Regional Landfill to Produce Electricity from waste decomposition

(Ava, NY – Aug. 15, 2011) Following a partnership with Waste Management, based upon a formal RFP process, the Oneida Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (OHSWA) is breaking ground at its regional landfill to begin construction on a power plant that will use landfill gas to create electricity. Once built, the facility will create roughly 12,650 megawatt hours per year or enough renewable energy to power more than 1,800 homes. Over the next 20 years, the facility can be expanded to generate enough renewable energy to power over 8,500 homes.

This is the first project of its kind developed by OHSWA, which has partnered with Waste Management to construct and manage the facility once it goes live. Waste Management, which currently operates over 130 beneficial reuse landfill gas projects, is an expert in creating renewable energy from waste.

The electricity from this project will be created through a process called landfill-gas-to-energy. As organic materials, like food waste, decompose inside the landfill, gas comprised of about 55 percent methane is created. Collection wells placed all over the site currently absorb this gas and route it to a flare for destruction.  Once the plant is operational, the gas will be piped to the energy facility where it will be filtered and pressurized. From there, it will be used as a fuel to run an engine generator. The facility has been designed so that as gas flows increase over time, additional generators can be added to produce more power.  The project, currently in early stage construction, is set to go online early  2012.

When compared to fossil fuels, as well as other renewable sources of energy, including wind and solar, landfill gas has several benefits:

•             It’s endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an energy alternative to fossil fuels

•             It’s not dependent on other environmental factors, like wind or sunlight

•             It’s reliable during peak energy hours

•             It’s an economical alternative to other fuel sources, like natural gas.

“We are proud to continue our legacy of environmental stewardship with this waste-to-electricity project at our Regional Landfill,” said William Rabbia, OHSWA Executive Director. “Not only do we prevent the release of harmful greenhouse gases, but we generate green energy, a win-win for the region and the environment.”

Additionally, proceeds the Authority receives as part of the project will be utilized to fund Authority programs and stabilize solid waste charges for haulers and residents alike.

“Waste Management has been developing landfill gas-to-energy technology for over two decades, and we operate more facilities than any other company in the United States,” said Paul Pabor, vice president of renewable energy for Waste Management. “As a leader in this industry, we understand how landfills operate and how to use technology to extract the most value from the waste stream.”

In New York, Waste Management has 5 other energy facilities in operation, producing approximately 25 megawatts of electricity. That is enough to save more than 100 thousand tons of coal annually and power over 27 thousand homes.

In total, WM owns or operates over 130 landfill-gas-to-energy facilities across North America, producing enough electricity to power more than 400,000 homes. Combined with the company’s other renewable energy projects, Waste Management produces over 9 million megawatt hours of electricity, or enough for more than 1.2 million homes.

For more information about this and other renewable energy programs, visit www.wm.com . To watch a video on how landfill gas-to-energy works, visit our YouTube page at www.youtube.com/wastemanagement.

ABOUT ONEIDA-HERKIMER SOLID WASTE AUTHORITY

The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority is a New York public benefit corporation, which was created by the State Legislature at the request of the Oneida and Herkimer Counties by passage of Article 8, Title 13-FF of the New York Public Authority Law on September 1, 1988. The Authority was created to address environmental problems associated with improper solid waste disposal, to develop new facilities and programs for waste reduction, recycling, and to address the lack of long-term disposal capacity for non-recyclable waste.

The Authority owns and operates a Recycling Center, Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, Green Waste Composting Facility, Regional Landfill, and three transfer stations. Services include recycling, backyard composting, providing public education, promoting waste reduction and reuse of materials, and school “Go Green” initiatives, full-scale electronics collection and sludge management. The Authority is governed by a 10-member Board of Directors, employs approximately 90 people and has an annual operating budget of $26 million.

For more information visit www.ohswa.org.