BFI Landfill Gas to Power The Solae Company Plant in Memphis
Jun 16 - PRNewswire
Air quality will improve and fossil-fuel demand will decrease in Shelby County this fall, thanks to a new partnership among Solae L.L.C.; BFI Waste Systems of North America; Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW); and CPL Systems, Inc. These organizations are creating a system to collect and use gas generated from decomposing municipal solid waste at BFI's South Shelby Landfill. The gas will be transported via pipeline to The Solae Company-owned plant, where it will reduce the plant's fossil-fuel usage by nearly 25-30 percent.
Landfill gas is generated when organic waste in a municipal solid-waste
landfill decomposes. The gas consists of about 50 percent carbon dioxide and 50
percent methane, which is the primary component of natural gas. Instead of
burning off the landfill gas in a flare at the BFI site, the gas that is
collected can be used to generate electricity, heat or steam, thereby reducing
reliance on fossil fuels such as coal, oil or natural gas. In fact, according to
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), landfill gas is the only renewable
energy source that, when used, directly prevents atmospheric pollution.
"The landfill gas usage project demonstrates The Solae Company's
commitment to reduce our environmental footprint and increase our use of
renewable energy resources," said Robert Schmalz, senior director of
sourcing for The Solae Company. "This project is particularly meaningful to
us because it demonstrates how important community benefits can be achieved
through cooperation and investment among companies, utility providers and
government organizations."
One of the largest landfill gas-to-energy projects operating in America's
2,200 active landfills, this project will require significant investments by The
Solae Company and BFI. The Solae Company is investing several million dollars to
redesign portions of its Memphis plant in order to efficiently use the landfill
gas. BFI plans to invest additional resources in its South Shelby Landfill site
to increase its gas recovery capabilities.
"BFI is committed to operating our landfills in a safe and
environmentally responsible manner, with respect for the role government plays
in protecting the public interest. BFI will continue to work on converting
landfill gas into renewable energy sources," said Keith Shirley, district
manager of BFI's Mississippi Valley District.
CPL Systems, Inc., based in Lafayette, La., will design, construct and
operate the equipment so the landfill gas can be used as a renewable fuel
source. "CPL Systems provides optimal approaches for capturing and using
landfill gas. We do this by modifying The Solae Company's facility to fully use
the gas without disrupting operating performance, reliability or safety,"
said Luke Conner, president of CPL Systems. "We are proud to be a partner
with The Solae Company, BFI, MLGW and the state of Tennessee to bring such a
'win-win' solution to the community and environment." CPL Systems is an
industry partner in the EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), a
voluntary assistance and partnership program that promotes the use of landfill
gas as a renewable energy source.
Additionally, MLGW will construct and operate the pipeline that will
transport the gas from BFI's South Shelby Landfill to The Solae Company plant at
4272 South Mendenhall. "MLGW is delighted to be part of this project.
Replacing natural gas with landfill gas makes a lot of sense because it
substitutes a finite resource for a renewable resource -- all while reducing
emissions. This is a real step forward, not only for the entities involved, but
for everyone in the greater-Memphis area," said Chris Bieber, vice
president of engineering for MLGW.
About The Solae Company
The Solae Company has operated its Memphis plant in South Shelby County since
1973. The Solae Company, based in St. Louis, Mo., serves food and beverage
manufacturers, dietary supplement developers, retailers and consumers in 80
countries worldwide including the United States and Canada, Europe and the
Middle East, Latin America and the Asia/Pacific region. The company was formed
through an alliance between Bunge Limited and DuPont , with DuPont being the
principle owner. The company's business is focused on significantly growing the
global business in plant-based, specialty food ingredients, initially addressing
soy protein and lecithin, and expanded offerings of products and services that
help customers compete and prosper. For more information, please visit http://www.solae.com/
.
About BFI Waste Systems of North America, Inc.
BFI has operated the 474-acre South Shelby Landfill since 1981 and is owned
by Allied Waste Industries, Inc. Allied Waste Industries, Inc., is a leading
waste services company that provides collection, recycling and disposal services
to residential, commercial and industrial customers in the United States. As of
March 31, 2004, the company served customers through a network of 312 collection
companies, 164 transfer stations, 166 active landfills and 57 recycling
facilities in 37 states across the country.
About CPL Systems, Inc.
CPL Systems of Lafayette, La., is an innovative technology company that
brings cost-effective energy conservation and emissions reduction projects to
industry. CPL Systems is a partner with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center of
Maryland on the first federal government landfill gas-to-energy project. CPL
Systems also is proud to be an LMOP industry partner and an energy conservation
alliance partner with one of the largest foods companies in the world.
The Solae Company
CONTACT: Geri Berdak, The Solae Company, +1-314-982-2588,gberdak@solae.com;
or Gabby Nelson, Fleishman-Hillard, +1-612-573-3128,nelsong@fleishman.com, for
The Solae Company
Web site: http://www.solae.com