CU, city dedicate landfill-to-energy plant

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt was on hand at the dedication of the state’s first municipally owned landfill-to-energy facility.

The 3.2-megawatt electric generating project, called the Noble Hill Landfill Renewable Energy Center, uses the methane gas to feed energy directly into CU’s electric system. It is expected to serve about 2,080 residential customers.

The project, which is designed to run continuously with maintenance downtimes about once a month, cost about $7 million to construct. The city built the system and tied it to generating units installed by CU.

Aside from producing electricity, the process also reduces the potential greenhouse effects of methane released into the environment. Methane is produced when landfill deposits decay.

Landmarc Environmental Systems and Landfill Energy Systems served as principal contractors.