The Department of Environmental Protection this week approved an air quality application for a plant at the Pioneer Crossing Landfill in Exeter Township, Berks County, that will convert methane gas to 50 million kilowatt hours of energy per year.

G.A.S. Access Pioneer Crossing Energy LLC plans to construct a 6.4-megawatt power generating facility with four landfill-gas-fired engine generator sets. The engines will be enclosed in a building on the landfill property.

DEP Southcentral Regional Director Rachel Diamond said capturing methane gas from landfills is a cost-effective way of generating electricity and reducing the impact the gas has on the environment.

“Landfill gas projects turn a potentially serious environmental threat – methane emissions that contribute to global warming – into a reliable source of energy,” said Diamond, noting that landfill methane is produced from decaying garbage and is typically burned by using large flares.

Pennsylvania is home to 24 operational gas-to-energy projects. DEP estimates these projects generate more than 100 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power more than 250,000 homes for a year. Additionally, the projects generate approximately 7 billion standard cubic feet of landfill gas annually for industrial/commercial uses.

12/7/2007