DOE Backed Landfill Gas to Energy Project in Indiana

27 October 2011

A ground breaking ceremony has been held for a landfill gas to energy project at the Centennial Park Landfill in Munster, Indiana.

Centennial Park is a closed landfill which has been transformed into a centerpiece for the Town's recreational and community activities, and now includes a 9-hole golf course, water features, amphitheater, a restaurant and banquet facility, walking trails and public art.

In partnership with Energy Systems Group (ESG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Indiana based energy holding company Vectren Corporation, the Munster Redevelopment Commission recently approved development of this $4.3 million beneficial-use electric generation project.

Made possible through funding by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Town plans to sell the power it generates as a part of this project back to the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) at its Renewable Feed-in Tariff rate for biomass projects.

The project includes a GE Jenbacher engine/generator which fuelled by landfill gas from the municipally owned landfill site. The project is expected to produce approximately 1.1 MW of electricity.

In addition to a new flare and blower, the project employs a heat conversion technology which will take excess heat from a large generator at the site to be transformed into additional electricity.

Munster Town Manager Tom DeGiulio comments: ''In fact, we captured the methane gas previously and used it to power our clubhouse and irrigation system. Utilising this 50/50 Department of Energy grant allows us to broaden the scope of the project and increase the impact of a project that has already received LEED Silver distinction.''

By capturing the landfill gases, ESG claims that this project is helping provide environmental benefits equivalent to the removal of emissions from more than 1100 cars per year or the planting of about 1200 acres of forest annually.


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