Methane to Energy Plant
Pioneer Crossing Landfill is a state-of-the-art, licensed
solid waste sanitary landfill that handles up to 1,975 tons
of refuse each day using cutting-edge techniques.
The waste consists of household and commercial refuse and non-hazardous industrial waste.
Pioneer Crossing is also home to a unique gas-to-energy facility that is tucked away on a beautifully landscaped parcel. We turn our
methane gas, a by-product of the decomposition of
waste, into a valuable source of energy.
As the price of fossil fuels and dependence on foreign sources of oil continues to rise, consumers are looking for alternative energy sources. Partnering with Mascaro to turn your trash into energy is not only beneficial to the environment but cost effective for participants.
Engines use the methane collected throughout the site as
fuel for the facility. The engines are coupled with generators
that produce electricity which is sold to the local utility company.
The methane gas is collected via a network of horizontal
and vertical perforated pipes located throughout the
landfill. The gas is drawn through a vacuum from the lined
disposal area, filtered, boosted to a higher pressure (5psi),
and then used as fuel by the five engines. These engines
each produce 1,600 kW (1.6 megawatt) at 4,160 volts for
a total of 6.4 MW to 8.0 MW, which is then exported to the grid.
That is the equivalent of lighting 14,000 homes a year!
The five engines run at 1,200 rpm and have averaged
94% uptime. The power plant has generated an estimated 50 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually since 2008.