City of Lamar to create more power from landfill by adding new generator

Saturday, December 31, 2011

The city of Lamar has begun the process of designing, building and installing a third electric generator at the Prairie View Landfill just north of the city. The Lamar Democrat reports that the Lamar City Council voted to begin the project by hiring the engineering firm of Blakely and Associates of Chillicothe, Mo., to design and supervise the venture.

The engineering firm's representative, Ray Blakely, told the council the estimated cost of the entire project would be $1.9 million and that his firm favored the company Martin Machinery "to build and install the generator." Blakely cited current system compatibility, initial cost and future savings as reasons for using Martin. According to the article, Blakely recommended a local contractor for building the facility.

The initial project to capture the methane gas produced by the decomposing matter in the landfill began several years ago and cost an initial $6 million. Two giant methane-powered Caterpillar generators were built and installed to create the power transmitted to the city via a new set of transmission lines.

That system came on line in June 2010 and a dedication ceremony was held in October of that year. Since then, the drilled wells and collecting system have been producing about 1,200 cubic feet per minute of methane, City Administrator Lynn Calton said. As the landfill is added to, gas production increases, so more wells must be drilled to vent the gases, Calton said.

Drilling on the landfill has already began, so the city decided now would be a good time to increase its generating capacity. Calton said the "necessary engineering" is being completed right now and they hope to get "started with the build by early spring." Completion dates can hinge on weather and other factors, but Calton said, "we'd like to have it on line third quarter, probably July."

That date would coincide with the anticipated completion of the drilling projects. "It has worked out well," he said.

Right now the two working generators consume 1,000 of the 1,200 cfm being produced. The addition of a third machine will take up that 200 cfm excess and the production of the new wells. Calton said the project may employ as many as five generators before it is complete. He expects the working life of the landfill to be another 20 years and for the system, according to his sources, to keep producing power for 20-25 years after the landfill stops accepting trash.

The Prairie View landfill covers more than 700 acres and its 13 employees handle about 39,000 tons of waste per month. The project provides power to nearly 2,300 homes and provides a reduction in greenhouse gases that would equal the emissions of 28,000 passenger vehicles, according to Allied Waste Services.

The third generator will likely be housed in an addition to the existing building, Calton said.

The increase in production will not present an immediate savings to consumers, said Calton, but "we're not going to have to raise rates."

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