PPL going green with methane

Decomposing garbage may be a bit smelly, but that smell means energy for Allentown, Pa.-based PPL (NYSE: PPL).

The electric utility, along with the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority, opened a landfill to energy plant in Lebanon, Pa., today that uses the methane from decomposing garbage to fuel generators.

The $6 million facility can generate enough electricity to power up to 2,500 homes. But that's just the beginning for PPL. The company plans to invest more than $100 million in renewable energy over the next five years.

The project, which actually started making some electricity about two weeks ago, is expected to produce up to 3,200 kilowatts per hour, or 24 million kilowatt hours per year. And the methane isn't likely to run out anytime soon.

"The plant will continue to generate methane gas, probably up to 30 years after the landfill is retired, so it really does have a long life," Lissette Santana, spokeswoman for PPL, told the Cleantech Group

Santana said the landfill still has another 20 years of use before its closed to more garbage.

The new facility, owned and operated by PPL, is the fourth landfill plant from the company. PPL is leasing the land from Greater Lebanon and has a 10 year renewable contract to purchase the landfill's methane from the authority.

The plant replaces a smaller, 21 year old plant that pumped out 1,200 kilowatts per hour, enough power for only 120 homes.

Take a look at part of the old plant here >>

PPL controls more than 11,000 MW of power overall, with more than 4 million customers in Pennsylvania and the U.K., through its U.K. subsidiary.

The company has already developed more than 15 megawatts of renewable energy projects in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Montana. The projects include landfill, solar energy and fuel cells, generating enough power for 12,000 homes, according to PPL.

The company also purchased 77,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy in 2006, including power from the 24 MW Bear Creek wind farm near Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and the 26 MW Locust Ridge project in Mahonoy City, Pa.

Future plans for renewable energy are still being worked out, but in addition to more landfill, solar and fuel cells, the company is also interested in biomass.

PPL also plans to expand generating capacity at its existing hydro plants. The utility currently has five hydro facilities.

"We are planning to expand our hydro electric facility at Holtwood," said Santana. The project, which is still in the preliminary stages, would more than double the generating capacity at the dam, adding a 125 MW plant adjacent to the existing 109 MW facility.

And the fish are getting a boost, too. That facility has one of the largest fish lifts in the nation, part of a multi-million dollar project to enable migrating fish to continue their annual spring journey up the Susquehanna River to spawn.

"While we do the expansion, we would also do improvements to help create additional passages for American shad," said Santana.

See how a fish lift works >> 

PPL which decommissioned two of its coal-fired power plants this year, is also trying to make its day to day operations more green.

One of PPL's buildings in downtown Allentown was the first privately owned site in Pennsylvania to receive a Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

The building, which was completed in 2003, has a green roof, with about 6,000 plants over a 15,000 square foot area. The company also said about 50 percent of the material, by cost, used in the building has high-recycled content.

The company's vehicles are also going green, with biodiesel used in some of its vehicles, and the company has ordered its first hybrid diesel-electric powered bucket truck for delivery this year.

The plant that opened today is a little different than most, as the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority wanted a facility that they would be able to open to the public.

The authority plans to host school groups and community organizations that can come to learn about renewable energy and see the big machinery that powers the methane system.

"It actually has a nice walkthrough area. People can see them at work, it's a nice glass area, and they can look and see the Caterpillar engines," said Santana.

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