Chevron breaks ground on Navy’s first landfill gas facility

May 21, 2010

Construction has begun on the US Navy’s first landfill gas cogeneration project, a 1.9-megawatt facility being developed in southwest Georgia.

The project at the 3,600-acre Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, in Dougherty County, is being developed by Chevron Energy Solutions, part of oil giant Chevron.

It will collect landfill gas from a nearby landfill to burn in order to generate steam, to produce renewable electricity that will raise the proportion of the base’s power that comes from renewable sources to 19%.

The equipment will be able to run on both landfill gas and natural gas, offering reliability for the system.

Chevron is also installing industrial lighting systems and energy management controls in 82 buildings, which combined with the cogeneration project will reduce the base’s carbon footprint by 19,300 tons a year – the equivalent of taking 16,000 cars off the road.

Energy security

Col. Terry V Williams, commanding officer at the base, said: “In addition to providing renewable power and energy security and reliability to MCLB, the project provides a valuable long-term source of revenue for Dougherty County.”

Chevron Energy Solutions, which designed and developed the landfill gas project, will also maintain the facility, pipeline and landfill gas processing equipment.

The base and Chevron will share in the operation of the generator and steam-producing equipment.

The local municipal authority, Dougherty County, will sell the landfill gas to the base from the Fleming/Gaissert Road Landfill. The landfill gas is about 50% methane gas by volume.

Jim Davis, president of Chevron Energy Solutions. “The project is funded entirely by energy savings and demonstrates how military bases and local governments can work together with private industry to meet federal mandates without increasing taxpayer costs.”