Biogas-to-CNG Harnesses Landfill Methane for Fueling
FirmGreen Benefits from $48.6M
Ex-Im Bank Project Funding
FirmGreen's green technology gets a boost from
the Ex-Im project financing: the transaction is Ex-Im's
first financing for biogas reclamation and development.
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U. S. EPA Recognizes FirmGreen
With a Project of the Year Award
FirmGreen's landfill gas to CNG fueling operation project
in Franklin County, Ohio was recognized by the
U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP)
with a 2008 Project of the Year Award.
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Ohio GEC Receives SWANA Award
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
recognized the Green Energy Center, developed by
FirmGreen in partnership with SWACO, as its
2009 Innovation Award winner.
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GEC Benefits > SWACO Biogas-to-CNG Project
FirmGreen, Inc. (FGI) developed a high Btu landfill gas utilization project near Columbus, Ohio in a public-private partnership with the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO).
The facility collects and cleans raw landfill gas (methane)
using CO2 Wash®,
a patented technology developed in Ohio
by Acrion Technologies. The cleaned methane is then converted
into ‘green’ compressed natural gas (gCNG®)
for use in CNG powered cars and medium duty trucks. gCNG® is FirmGreen’s trademarked brand
name for Compressed Natural Gas from renewable recourses such
as landfill gas and biomass. It is a remarkable Biofuel
that does not require food resources to produce.
Given SWACO’s plan to fuel its vehicles with CNG derived
from a portion of the processed LFG, it was essential that
the resulting BioMethane be pure enough to meet OEM specification
for CNG fuel. The ability of FirmGreen's technology to accomplish this
goal was a significant factor in selection the company
to develop the project.
Construction of the Green Energy Center (GEC) commenced in
July 2006. The facility utilizes a CO2 Wash unit to process
300scfm of LFG into ultra-pure medium Btu methane that powers
a 250kW microturbine to generate electricity for the facility,
and high Btu methane for use as vehicle fuel for SWACO vehicles.
The high Btu methane is compressed on site, and then piped
to above-ground CNG storage tanks. The CNG is then dispensed
at a fueling station located adjacent to the building that
houses the LFG processing equipment.
Projecting a production of 685 GGE for 330 days per year;
depreciating capital and operational cost over 20 years, the
estimated production cost per GGE would be approximately $1.84
per GGE.
SWACO currently owns several CNG powered vehicles, both light duty vehicles and a medium duty pick up truck converted to CNG. SWACO expects to convert additional medium duty vehicles to bi-fuel during
2008 and 2009. SWACO will also purchase a dedicated CNG front-load refuse vehicle.
Other municipal fleets are fueling with BioMethane derived
from the landfill.
Accomplishments of the Project
The GEC proves the technical and economic feasibility of
a smaller
scale high Btu landfill gas project. The project has accomplished
its goals with a technology and facilities design that:
- is self-sustaining; generates enough electricity for
its own operations with a microturbine powered by a portion
of the cleaned LFG
- creates a flexible business model that can sell electricity
to the grid, produce vehicle quality fuel and/or pipeline
quality natural gas
- demonstrates that smaller landfill operations have a
viable LFG utilization option that not only improves air
quality at the site, but can provide a stable, long term
source of alternative fuel for their fleet operations that
is cleaner than the fossil-based fuel it replaces, produced
at an economically competitive cost
- enables SWACO to respond effectively to national environmental
policy mandates with respect to waste utilization, greenhouse
gas reduction, and fleet emission standards with a single
project.
View
more photos of FirmGreen's Green Energy Center© in Grove
City, OH...
Why fuel with "biomethane"? Find out more about its benefits...
CNG
101 - information courtesy BAF Technologies
If you own/operate a landfill, waste water treatment plant, or another facility that generates biogas and have an interest in developing a renewable energy project at your facility, please complete our Biogas Resource Evaluation Form. |
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