overview

press releases

in the news

image downloads

media kit

experts guide

Spring 2006 Newsletter

In this issue:

NC GreenPower Announces First Generation of Methane Gas for North Carolina’s Power Supply

The Buncombe County Landfill Gas Project is designed to create electricity by tapping methane gas produced at the landfill as a “green” energy source. The project will allow for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, develop a renewable resource of energy that creates a safe and cleaner landfill environment, and provide a stable and reliable source of energy.

“Today’s announcement embodies North Carolina’s commitment to the three E’s: environment, economy and energy,” said Lt. Gov. Perdue. “We can and we must protect our environment by encouraging the development and use of renewable energy resources,” continued Perdue. “We can choose to spend our energy dollars in state, for our state; and we can strive to provide energy security for North Carolinians by investing in local, alternative energy sources.”

Bob Goodson, chairperson of the NC GreenPower Board of Directors, reported that the program has nearly 8,000 participants’ statewide, representing citizens and businesses that care about a cleaner environment. These participants currently subscribe to 22 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy generation each year, which in turn provides an annual offset in carbon dioxide equivalent to 3.5 million trees planted.

“Progess Energy is committed to exploring and investing in new energy sources and being part of their development,” said Fred Day, president and CEO of Progress Energy Carolinas. “We are especially proud to be working with the Buncombe Landfill Gas Project, the largest supplier of renewable energy to date in the NC GreenPower program.”

Buncombe County Landfill Gas Project

The 300-acre facility was divided into 120 acres for landfill and 180 acres for green space. At closure, the landfill held 3.4 million tons of municipal solid waste in four cells. The Buncombe County Landfill Gas Project is currently beginning its second of three phases.

Phase I – Connect 2.5 mile pipeline from the county’s landfill to the Metropolitan Sewerage District (MSD). This phase utilized the gas in two 450 HP Waukesha Engines and in the fluidized bed of the sludge drying facility. With efficiency improvements at MSD’s sludge dryer, additional gas has been made available for use elsewhere.

Phase II – Serve MSD and create “new generation” capabilities for the NC Green Power program and build a “cogeneration” facility to tie-in a CHP hot water recovery unit to provide hot water to the new UNC Asheville Arts Campus.

Phase III – Tie-in art applications in metal working, glass blowing and pottery to advance the educational opportunities provided by low cost fuel to students in a formal curriculum.

Environmental offsets
The amount of coal consumed annually to produce this equivalent amount of energy - 13,667,292 lbs.

The generation of this amount of renewable energy will annually offset:

35,111,273 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO₂)
109,675 pounds of sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
43,870 pounds of nitrogen oxides (NO_x)

Energy equivalents
The annual reduction of CO₂ emissions is environmentally equivalent to:

2,700,867 trees planted OR
42,742,726 miles not driven OR 1,040,072 days not driven