FREEHOLD — The gas-to-energy facility located at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center, Tinton Falls, has been awarded Project of the Year (power category) by the New York Tri-State Metro Chapter of the Design-Build Institute of America.
Methane gas, produced naturally by decomposition, is extracted from the landfill using a series of wells. The collected gas is compressed and directed to two turbine generating units.
The electrical output produced by the turbines is then sold to Jersey Central Power & Light Co. and provides enough electricity to meet the annual needs of some 7,000 Monmouth County homes.
“Instead of allowing the methane gas to escape into the air, it can be captured, converted and used as an energy source,” Freeholder Director William C. Barham said. “The gas-to-energy operation at the reclamation center not only reduces odors, but it also produces revenues for the county.”
According to a press release from the county, in addition to reducing odors, using landfill gas also helps prevent methane gas from migrating into the atmosphere and contributing to global climate change.
Another environmental benefit is that landfill gas recovery systems reduce the consumption of other fuels, including coal, oil or natural gas.
“Unlike coal, oil or natural gas, landfill gas is a man-made renewable fuel,” said William Christopher Murray, superintendent at the reclamation center. “Using it to produce electricity or to heat homes decreases our dependence on fossil fuels, which do not burn as cleanly as natural gas.”
In a related matter, the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders recently struck a deal with GSF Energy LLC to sell most of the remaining methane gas from the landfill.
Under this new contract approved in June, GSF Energy will recover nearly all of the methane gas produced at the landfill and convert it to natural gas and, in addition, will assume responsibility for all capital improvements, operation and maintenance costs for the gas facilities.
Under the agreement, Monmouth County will be paid a monthly royalty calculated as a percentage of GSF Energy’s gross revenues from the sale of output at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center, with a guaranteed minimum royalty of $50,000 per month.
“Because the county’s share is tied to revenues, this deal has the potential of being worth up to $1 million or more a year for the county,” Barham said.