Santa Clara and Ameresco Turning Landfill Gas Into Energy

The city of Santa Clara, California, and independent energy service and solutions provider Ameresco are partnering on an innovative clean energy project to turn naturally occurring landfill gas into 750kW of green electricity every hour.

The gas, which occurs naturally through decomposition of organic materials at a closed municipal landfill, is captured and then consumed in three Ingersoll Rand MT250 microturbines to generate electricity, which is being sold to Silicon Valley Power.

The electricity generated is enough to provide power for more than 477 homes and also provides an emissions reduction equivalent of planting almost 1,000 acres of pine or fir forests.

"Anytime we can turn waste into something useful we should take that opportunity, and this project is a perfect example," said Santa Clara Mayor Patricia M. Mahan.

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