Renewable Energy Distributed Generation

Spadra Landfill Spadra Gas-to-Energy Facility Landfill gas fueled 8 MW Low NOx burners

4125 W. Valley Boulevard Walnut, CA 91789 Background One of two smaller gas-to-energy facilities constructed by the Sanitation Districts, this facility is located at the Spadra Landfill. Although the landfill is closed to the public, the gas that is produced creates 8 MW of electricity, which is enough for approximately 11,000 homes. Landfill On April 8, 2000, Spadra Landfill, located in the City of Pomona, closed to the general public after serving the eastern San Gabriel Valley since 1957. Power Generation The gas-to-energy facility is a conventional Rankine Cycle Steam Power Plant using landfill gas as fuel to generate electricity. Landfill gas is fired in the plant’s boiler producing superheated steam. The superheated steam is used to drive the steam turbine/generator to generate electric power. Currently, the Spadra Landfill facility produces approximately 8 MW net of electric power. The power is sold to the local utility company, Southern California Edison (SCE), and used to meet onsite needs. Benefits The Sanitation Districts were among the leaders in the landfill industry to install extensive networks of LFG collection systems on all of its sanitary landfills. The majority of the collected landfill gas is utilized for electrical power generation. Significant benefits include the effective management of methane gas collected at landfills and the generation of revenue from energy sales. By using boilers to combust the gas and a landfill gas pretreatment system customized for each facility, the Sanitation Districts maintain emission rates well below those required by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Overall, the three Sanitation Districts’ facilities have successfully demonstrated that a landfill gas-to-energy plant can combust low-Btu landfill gas as boiler fuel, reduce air emissions, and provide significant economic benefits for landfill owners.