Capstone Green Energy to launch waste-to-energy projects in Italy

Capstone Green Energy Corp. a carbon reduction and on-site green energy solutions company based in Van Nuys, California, has announced orders for two waste-to-energy projects in the Sardinia region of Italy.

Capstone says three C65 microturbines will be deployed at two wastewater treatment facilities operated by Acciona Agua SA, a renewable energy company based in Alcobendas, Spain. The microturbines will be installed at Acciona’s facilities in Alghero and Cagliari, Italy. The microturbine systems are expected to be commissioned in December.

“We are pleased to see continued order flow out of the European region given the unprecedented macroeconomic conditions in their energy markets,” says Darren Jamison, CEO of Capstone Green Energy. “This is a perfect example of how customers are reducing their dependence on fossil fuel sources for power generation through sustainable biogas to energy projects.”

Once commissioned, the microturbines will operate on the biogas produced on-site from municipal solid waste. Additionally, the new cogeneration plants will incorporate a customized heat recovery module, advanced gas treatment, compressors and SCADA control panels. The company says the configuration will allow plant operators to harness the waste fuel for on-site power production.

The microturbines will be utilized in a combined heat and power (CHP) application and produce electricity and hot water for the customer’s wastewater treatment facilities. The projects are the first of their kind in the Sardinia region of Italy.

Capstone says wastewater treatment plants are excellent candidates for microturbine-based CHP. The most common renewable projects use digester methane to generate electric power or combined heat and power. These installations can bring fast payback from utility power and natural gas savings by utilizing waste methane, a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide. In addition, excess renewable electricity could be offered for sale to the electric utility.