Green Energy in Rhode Island from Trash
Posted by Damien Cabral on Fri, Mar 05, 2010
Blog Author: Rebecca Langley
Given the current status of the economy, everyone is coming up with creative ways to save money. As "going green" becomes mainstream, why not combine going green and thriftiness?
Nationwide, communities are using landfills to create energy. As the trash decays, a gas that is comprised of half methane is released. Rather than letting the gases emit into the air, they would be collected and treated for use as electricity or upgraded to pipeline-grade gas. When compared to carbon dioxide, this methane gas has 20 times the global warming capability! In addition, this landfill gas consistently produces power rather than relying of the unpredictability of nature.
While costly, several projects have been completed and are operating successfully. In 2009, the University of New Hampshire spent $45 million dollars on the EcoLine, which converts trash into energy. The energy produced by this project allowed then to decrease their natural gas usage by 80%! In January, a public-private Glendale, Arizona project was started that generates enough energy to power 750 homes!
In addition to landfills, there are smaller scale products out there, like the Green Energy Machine, which can be used to covert trash into energy on a smaller scale. While intended for small businesses, the Green Energy Machine is the size of 3 parking spots and coverts 95% of trash into energy.
While not having trash in the landfill would be ideal, this does not seem to be a near future reality. So, if the trash in the landfill can be recycled into a useful commodity, then why not use it? Well, in addition to the expensive price tag, environmentalists find it controversial because trash is not a renewable energy source.
If you want to "go green" and not involve your trash in the process, RePower offers Solar Hot Water and Solar Pool Heating. Call us today for a free estimate at 1-877-975-0222.
Photo Courtesy of Flickr user: D'Arcy Norman.