MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Connie Kacprowicz, Public Information Specialist - (573) 874-7325

Columbia’s Biogas Energy Plant Dedication

Tuesday, December 18, 2007, 10 a.m.
City of Columbia Landfill
Columbia, Missouri

COLUMBIA, MO (November 30, 2007) - The city of Columbia is proud to announce the opening of the landfill gas to energy project at the Columbia landfill. This project will use the gas created when the waste decomposes to generate 2.1 megawatts of renewable energy. This would supply approximately 1.5 percent of Columbia’s energy use per year and grow to as much as 2.5 percent over the next 5-10 years. This is the amount of energy needed to power approximately 1,500 homes in Columbia.

The Columbia landfill has grown over the years and the amount of landfill gas produced now makes it economically feasible to produce electricity. In 2006, the Public Works Department opened a competitive bid process to develop an economic use for Columbia’s landfill gas. Columbia Water and Light was awarded the bid by the Columbia City Council to build a landfill gas-to-energy plant. This project cost of $2.85 million was partially funded through an electric bond issue passed by voters in 2006. The plant was designed for an expansion.

New Missouri legislation will increase Columbia’s landfill gas production in the future. Senate Bill 54, passed by the State Legislature in 2007, covered renewable energy issues. The new law allows yard waste to be disposed in Columbia’s landfill because it is creating renewable energy. This allowed Columbia to construct a bioreactor at the landfill.

A bioreactor uses water to rapidly break down organic waste. This accelerated decomposition process will produce more methane which will create more renewable energy for Columbia. It is estimated that the bioreactor will increase landfill gas production within five years.

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