Sunshine Gas Producers starts up landfill-gas-to-electricity plant

Sunshine Gas Producers, a joint venture between DTE Biomass Energy, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and EIF Renewable Energy Holdings, Novi, Michigan, through its subsidiary Landfill Energy Systems, has started generating electricity from landfill gas at its recently constructed facility at the Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Sylmar, California.

DTE Biomass Energy, the developer and operator of the project, has declared commercial operation status for the 20-megawatt (MW) facility at the landfill. The landfill is owned and operated by Browning-Ferris Industries of California Inc., a subsidiary of Phoenix-based Republic Services. Landfill gas generated at the site will be used to produce renewable energy to be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), San Francisco, under a long-term power purchase agreement.

The power plant, which includes five turbine generators and a staff of four, is capable of generating enough electricity to power nearly 25,000 California homes, the developers say.

“This is the successful result of more than 10 years of effort that has been made possible by strong partnerships with Republic Services, PG&E and Landfill Energy Systems,” says Mark Cousino, DTE Biomass Energy president. “It’s gratifying to see that Californians will reap the benefits of our hard work for years to come through the renewable energy produced by this project.”

“We are proud to help fulfill California’s 33 percent renewable energy goal through our investment in this base load electric production facility,” says Richard M. DiGia, president of EIF Renewable Energy Holdings. “The opening of the Sunshine Canyon Landfill facility is another positive step for the use of domestic renewable energy to drive cost-effective and cleaner energy production by enabling the conversion of landfill gas from waste into power generation.”