Landfill Expansion Calls for More Generators

"We expect a 1.9-megawatt generator to be fully operational and converting the methane into usable energy by August 2006 followed by a second 1.9-megawatt unit being installed sometime late in 2007," said South Jersey Industries vice president Al Ruggiero. South Jersey Industries is the parent company of AC Landfill Energy, a joint venture of DCO Energy and Marina Energy.

"Since landfill gas occurs naturally, by collecting and converting it to energy, we're putting to use a fuel source that would otherwise be wasted," said Rick Dovey, ACUA president.

"Landfill gas energy projects like this one can generate electricity over 90 percent of the time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The entire ACUA Environmental Park is powered by landfill gas and the excess energy is sold to the PJM grid," Dovey added.

Jim Rutala, ACUA Vice President, noted that the expanded project will use between about 1,000 to 1,500 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of landfill gas, which generates 42,000,000 kWh per year, enough energy to power 3,434 homes for a year. It will yield the same reduction in greenhouse gases as removing 39,632 cars from the road for a year, has the same greenhouse gas impact as planting 56,475 acres of trees, and saves 25,083 barrels of crude oil per year.