Waste Management and MCE Clean Energy partner for landfill gas-to-energy plant

Nonprofit public electricity provider MCE Clean Energy, San Rafael, California, and Houston-based Waste Management’s (WM’s) Redwood Landfill in Novato, California, have recently opened a new landfill gas-to-energy plant designed to generate enough renewable electricity to provide service to more than 5,000 MCE customers in Marin and Napa Counties and the cities of Benicia, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Richmond, San Pablo and Walnut Creek.

“We’re proud to be working with Waste Management to offer our customers renewable energy that’s generated locally,” says Dawn Weisz, CEO of MCE. “This type of innovation and ingenuity complements our intermittent renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, to put more pollution-free power on the grid around the clock. Renewable technologies such as this landfill gas-to-energy plant help us achieve our mission to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while providing local economic and workforce benefits.”

Methane gas produced by Marin County’s trash at the Redwood Landfill powers two reciprocating engines that generate 3.9 megawatts of electricity 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The plant is outfitted with an emissions system, with sophisticated scrubbers and exhaust mechanisms that ensure it has low emissions.

“At $14.5 million, the plant demonstrates Waste Management’s investment not only in Marin County, it also underscores our dedication to finding environmentally sustainable solutions to our operations,” says Paul Pabor, WM vice president of renewable energy. “Waste Management estimates that this renewable energy power plant will eliminate 8,900 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. It’s meaningful to contribute to MCE’s renewable energy portfolio by generating power for customers even when the sun has gone down and there’s no wind producing electricity.”

In addition to the power plant, Redwood Landfill is home to the only covered, aerated static pile composting facility in the county, producing a natural fertilizer that is used for organic farming. The landfill recycles almost half of all materials brought to the facility, WM says, and it donated 180 acres of its property to the Marin Audubon Society for wetlands restoration.

Watch a video on the landfill gas-to-energy plant below: