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JEA Increases Renewable Portfolio with Trail Ridge Landfill
Jacksonville, Fla. (July 28, 2008) – JEA’s renewable portfolio will expand with the addition of the Trail Ridge gas-to-energy facility. The energy purchased from the facility will add 9.1 megawatts to JEA’s renewable portfolio. JEA’s existing portfolio consists of solar photovoltaic systems on local facilities, a 10-megawatt share of wind power from Nebraska Public Power District and biogas from JEA’s wastewater treatment facility.
The Trail Ridge Landfill gas-to-energy project is a partnership between the City of Jacksonville, Landfill Energy Systems, and Waste Management. JEA will purchase from Landfill Energy Systems the power generated from methane, the landfill gas.
“The 9.1 megawatts of energy produced from the Trail Ridge landfill gas-to-energy project will benefit JEA’s customers and the environment,” explained Jay Worley, JEA director of environmental programs. “This landfill gas is a greenhouse gas and will be used as a renewable energy source, which would otherwise be burned off in a flaring process.”
The 9.1 megawatts from this project is enough renewable energy to supply electricity to approximately 2,275 homes.
Bill Owen, vice president of Landfill Energy Systems (LES) said, “We’re very excited about building one of Florida’s largest landfill gas-to-energy plants right here in Jacksonville. This project is unique in that it involves many parties working together to achieve a common goal of creating an environmentally beneficial project for the citizens of Jacksonville. JEA, the City of Jacksonville, Waste Management and LES are working together to make this project a success.”
Waste Management Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services in North America and has worked for many years with businesses, industries and public utilities to develop beneficial use projects from landfill gas.
“Waste Management is proud to partner with the City of Jacksonville and LES to implement the landfill gas to energy program at the Trail Ridge Landfill,” said David McConnell, area vice president. “This facility will benefit the local environment and economy, as it will offset the need for non-renewable resources such as coal, natural gas and oil. Our existing facilities and programs such as this one to expand renewable energy in the region demonstrate the company’s dedication to fulfilling the needs of the community.”
LES, headquartered in Wixom, Mich., is one of the landfill gas industry’s largest and oldest privately owned developers. Over the past 20 years, LES has successfully completed 27 landfill gas projects in 10 states generating over 120 megawatts of renewable power. The destruction of landfill methane in the LES portfolio provides the equivalent environmental benefit of removing 1,059,824 vehicles from the road by destroying 724,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year. LES is currently building 25 megawatts of renewable power in the state of Florida, enough renewable electricity to supply approximately 6,250 homes in the state.
JEA is the eighth largest community owned electric utility in the United States, providing electric, water and sewer service to more than 875,000 accounts in northeast Florida.
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