Siemens supplies engines to Idaho landfill gas project

Germany-based technology provider Siemens has worked in cooperation with Southern Idaho Solid Waste (SISW) and has announced the commissioning of two SGE-56HM gas engines that will provide electrical power for a landfill gas-to-energy project at the Milner Butte Landfill in Burley, Idaho. According to Siemens, its gas capture engines will allow the landfill to convert 1,000 tons of landfill waste daily into energy. Officials with the SISW expect that amount to increase.

As part of the project, SISW engineers worked with Siemens and Hastings, Nebraska-based Industrial-Irrigation Services to develop a method to capture the methane for use as a fuel gas to produce electricity.

“We saw this gas and realized we were just wasting it by burning it for no productive use,” says Nate Francisco, SISW’s environmental manager.

To capture methane and convert it into electricity, the landfill deployed two Siemens SGE-56HM gas generator sets to run on the waste gas from the landfill and generate electrical power. Once the landfill gas is converted to electricity, it is transported to Idaho Power through a 20-year purchase agreement and is used by the community a source of power. To date, the two engines have been generating enough power for approximately 2,000 homes. Each set is rated at 1,300 kilowatts and includes generator controls and a power panel.

“We expect these engines to remain in operation for 20 to 30 years,” says Josh Bartlome, executive director at SISW. “They’re big engines built for endurance.”

SISW estimates that in the next 20 years the facility will generate about $36 million in revenue, netting about a third of that after costs and inflation. Creating a long-term revenue generator like this model used by SISW will allow the district to realize lower power costs, according to Siemens.

“The Milner Butte Landfill project represents the future of distributed power,” says Chris Nagle, North American regional director for the Siemens Gas Engines business unit. “This plant assists the local community with its power needs while being environmentally responsible. Siemens is proud to support SISW and Industrial-Irrigation Services with this project.”