May 22nd, 2009

From Green Right Now Reports

Officials of Will County and Waste Management of Illinois, Inc. today announced a plan to jointly develop a landfill gas-to-energy plant at the Prairie View Recycling and Disposal Facility near Wilmington.

Will County officials said they intend to apply for federal economic stimulus funds earmarked for renewable energy projects to help finance the project. Once the grant process is complete, Will County anticipates putting at least $1 million in stimulus funds toward the project.

The Prairie View landfill is owned by the County and is its primary waste disposal facility. Waste Management operates the site under a long-term agreement, and will build and operate the planned facility, expected to be in operation by the end of 2010.

“The County offers many opportunities for residents and businesses to recycle their waste, thus saving energy and natural resources,” County Executive Larry Walsh said in a statement. “This project will create a non-fossil fuel energy source and also provide many local construction jobs for a project that will benefit Will County and its residents for many years to come.”

County board chairman Jim Moustis said the new project “goes along with our goals of being as green as possible.” He said the facility will be complete ahead of the county’s target date of 2012.

Waste Management, based in Houston, says it has more than 100 landfill gas-to-energy projects at its landfills, producing the equivalent of almost 500 megawatts of power. That’s enough to meet the energy needs of about 400,000 homes. Its 11 Illinois plants generate 41.5 megawatts of electricity — enough to power more than 35,000 homes and replace the equivalent of more than 150,000 tons of coal per year.

Waste Management announced plans in 2007 to add 60 such plants to its network by 2013, and the company says it is on track to achieve that goal.