City diverts landfill gas, produces ‘green’ power
Burbank, Calif., has installed a 10-microturbine gas system at its landfill to divert approximately 160 cubic feet per minute of gas from the landfill flare and to generate up to 300 kilowatts of green power. The gas system uses scaled-down jet engine technology to generate electricity cleanly from propane, biogas, natural gas and other fuels.
“The city is happy to once again be using the landfill gas for power production,” says Bonnie Teaford, chief assistant public works director and city engineer. “We’re turning our gas into a useful energy source and helping out in the energy crisis.”
EMCON/OWT Solid Waste services, a unit of the Monroeville, Pa.-based The IT Group, installed the gas system. The system has just one moving part; uses no oil, lubricants or coolants; and is designed to operate at full load capacity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In California, traditional diesel generators, due to pollution concerns, are limited to less than 200 hours of operation per year.