At the Redwood Landfill, yesterday’s trash is today’s electricity, thanks to a renewable energy plant completed in 2017. The plant converts landfill gas, produced from decomposing organics, into clean electricity. It generates 3.9 megawatt of power, enough to serve 5,000 Marin Clean Energy (MCE) customers daily.
Unlike solar or wind energy, this renewable energy source is available 24/7, regardless of the elements. It is also estimated to eliminate 8,900 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually based on equivalent energy production from traditional fossil fuel methane gas-generated electricity.
The plant closes the loop on waste by turning landfill gas, which was previously flared, into electricity. Methane gas produced by Marin’s trash at the Redwood Landfill powers two reciprocating engines that generate 3.9 megawatts of electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The plant is outfitted with an emissions system with sophisticated scrubbers and exhaust mechanisms that ensure it has one of the lowest emissions of any landfill gas-to-energy plant in the nation. It also reflects Redwood Landfill and Waste Management’s commitment to sustainable practices.
Waste Management invested $14.5 million to construct this state-of-the-art facility. Its advanced gas and exhaust treatment systems generate the lowest emissions of any landfill gas to electricity plant. The plant is expected to generate reliable, renewable energy for 30 years or more.
