The Executive’s Daily Green Briefing

January 18, 2007

College’s Methane-Fueled Power Plant Gets Low Marks

colleges-methanefueled-power-693.jpgTroy, New York-based Hudson Valley Comunity College’s methane-fueled power plant, designed and installed by Siemens Building Technologies in 2004 at a cost of $8.4 million, is not providing the amount of power the college expected, the Times Union reports.

The flow of methane from the 40-acre landfill hasn’t been consistent. Sometimes the concentration of methane is so thin that it cannot burn, lights sputter, and computers crash, forcing the college to use a more-polluting diesel engine for emergency power.

The methane problems have forced the college, which sits on 120 acres and has 19 buildings, to buy increasing amounts of natural gas to power other generators in the plant. The college even sought state permission to use more diesel power, but it withdrew that proposal last month.

The share of electricity generated by methane has steadily declined, from 25.5 percent in 2004 to 17 percent in 2005, to 11 percent in 2006, when for three months the methane-powered generator did not run at all.

One problem is that the college draws methane from an unlined landfill, which doesn’t trap gas as well as lined landfills.

Join the Discussion

Today's News

Industry Needs Energy Star For Servers - Now!

Industry Needs Energy Star For Servers - Now!

The other day while out shopping for Energy Star rated household appliances with my wife, I got to wondering why we ... continue »

Parse The Greens, Pass The Spectacle
Timberland’s Journey to Quarterly CSR Reporting
Peak Carbon
Consumers Understand Greenwash, So Why Can’t The Communications Industry?
MIT Report: World Can Learn From European Cap-And-Trade System

MIT Report: World Can Learn From European Cap-And-Trade System

The EU cap-and-trade system has operated well and has had little or no negative impact on the overall EU economy, according to ...

click to view full size chart »

Fewer Willing To Pay Premium For Green
EIA Projects 50% Growth In World Energy Use By 2030
Fuel Prices, Environment Drive Consideration Of Hybrids
UK Facing Higher Green Taxes

UK Facing Higher Green Taxes

Political and business leaders are warning that Britain faces a sharp rise in its tax bill to fund the country's move to ...

click to view video »

Climate Change And Public Health
Commute Program Helps Juniper Employees Reduce Trips
Clean Diesel Talked Up At Mid America Trucking Show
The Bottom Line

Marketing

New Video Shows Innovations In Textile Industry

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Says Thin Clients Will Save $500,000

Parse The Greens, Pass The Spectacle

Emissions

Ericsson Solar Cell Solution Deployed In South America

MIT Report: World Can Learn From European Cap-And-Trade System

Leaving Computers On Over Holiday Weekend Costs Big Bucks

Hi-Tech

Industry Needs Energy Star For Servers - Now!

Novomer Makes Sacrificial Binder From Recycled CO2

‘Old’ IT Doesn’t Have To Mean ‘Inefficient’

Efficiency

Logan Airport Wind Energy Excursion A Success

Ball Aims To Reduce GHG 16 Percent by 2012

Branson Plans Zero Carbon Resort, Launches Eco-Consulting Group

Manufacturing

Lee Company Installs Solar Power System

Anaerobic Digestion Facility At Maker’s Mark Powers Distillery

EPA Web Site Provides Importing, Exporting Environmental Rules

Carbon Offsets/RECs

Harrah’s Pitching Carbon Offsets

Denver International Carbon Offset Program Fails To Take Off

Passengers Will Pay For New EU Airlines Emissions Rules

CSR Reports

GHG Emissions Up At Owens Corning, Energy Use Down

IBM Launches Green Consulting Service

Baxter Aims To Reduce GHG Emissions By 45% By 2015

Major Players

P&W Geared Turbofan Engine Could Help Industry Cut Emissions

Dell Power Supply First To Receive ‘80 Plus Gold’ Certification

Dow Raising Prices, Again

See All Topics »