KBIA Local
(2009-10-20)
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COLUMBIA, MO
(KBIA) -
The project, located at the Jefferson City landfill, will push Columbia over its goal concerning renewable energy solutions. The goal, set by Columbia residents in 2004, was to have five percent of all electric generation come from renewable energy sources by 2012.
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This project is only a start, according to Columbia Mayor Darwin Hindman.
"With this project we have already reached that goal," he says. "So we have surpassed the goal that was set by the people. Now, we've got to keep going and look for more projects."
The project will use methane gas, a naturally occurring by-product of decomposing trash, to power four turbines to generate electricity, which the city of Columbia will then buy.
What makes this project so innovative is the second stage of the process. The hot waste water from the turbines, which is used to cool the turbines, will then be used to heat two local correctional facilities, including Algoa Correctional Center. Governor Jay Nixon says it will be this stage of the project where taxpayers will see results.
"The annual energy savings will be between $400,000 and $500,000," says Nixon. "We will also realize more than $670,000 a year by closing the boiler plant at Algoa."
The project is a joint venture by the City of Columbia and Ameresco, the largest independent energy solutions provider in the nation. © Copyright 2012, KBIA
