Trash to Cash: How Maine’s Capital is Using a Landfill to Save on Utilities
(Room 620)
08 Sep 19
3:00 PM
-
3:50 PM
Tracks:
Solid Waste Management
In 2017, Augusta, Maine, decided to put Hatch Hill Landfill to work. The active municipal solid waste disposal site, serving the city’s population of 18,500 plus eight surrounding communities, now offsets the electrical bills for the Augusta’s nine largest buildings. The methane gas produced by decomposing trash is harnessed to fuel a 550-kilowatt generator, which feeds electricity into the local utility provider’s grid under a net metering agreement with the City. Within 11 years, the $3 million project will have paid for itself through the reduction of the City’s energy costs. In 17 years, Augusta anticipates a return on investment of $1 million. Additionally, the methane collection system has reduced nuisance odors and greenhouse gas emissions. This project demonstrates that biogas generators can, in fact, be designed to suit municipal-scale operation, and not just private owned landfills. In this session, you’ll learn how to assess the gas-to-energy potential in your municipal-owned landfills and find out the necessary steps for setting a landfill gas project in motion.