Bowerman Power Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) manages three of the nation’s largest active landfills and 20 closed former refuse disposal stations. The County’s Frank R. Bowerman Landfill generates methane-rich gas from as many as 11,500 tons of waste that go into the landfill daily and decompose. Common landfill practice is to collect and burn the gas using flares. This approach is acceptable but does nothing to maximize the value of this gas or contribute to energy efficiency. OCWR envisioned turning this landfill gas into renewable energy with a state-of-the-art landfill gas-to-energy facility. The County collaborated and partnered with private industry and other public/government entities to build such a facility, which became operational in March 2016. Called Bowerman Power Project, it delivers 20 megawatts of renewable energy to the City of Anaheim Public Utilities Department, which delivers enough electricity to serve 14,700 homes, offsets 86,106 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and helps Anaheim achieve its renewable energy portfolio goals. In exchange for hosting the facility and providing the landfill gas, the County receives revenue that will help enable OCWR to continue providing industry-leading waste management services at stable consumer rates, protect the environment and promote recycling.