LEBANON, Pa., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PPL Corporation and the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority dedicated a renewable energy facility Wednesday (10/3) that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and power 2,500 homes with clean energy.
"This renewable energy plant will generate electricity in an environmentally friendly way," said Mike Kroboth, president of PPL Renewable Energy, the PPL subsidiary that will invest more than $100 million in additional renewable energy projects in the next five years.
"By capturing methane and using it to generate electricity, this plant will prevent the equivalent of 19,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year," he said. "That's equal to removing 27,000 cars from the road or planting 38,000 acres of new forest."
Methane-to-energy systems at landfills have a dual benefit for the environment -- they generate electricity from renewable fuel while also eliminating emissions of methane, a gas that contributes to global warming. Methane is created when refuse in landfills decomposes.
"The Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority is dedicated to conserving natural resources," said Michael Pavelek, executive director of the authority. "Not only will this facility generate electricity from a renewable fuel, but we will also work to raise awareness in the community about the benefits of alternative energy."
In addition to the generators, fueled by methane, the facility at the landfill will house an innovative renewable energy education center.
The facility, provided by the authority, will host demonstration solar and wind power projects and provide information on other important power generation sources such as nuclear. The facility also includes an education room that will be used by school groups and community organizations to learn more about renewable energy.
To schedule a tour or use the facility, visit the authority's Web site at http://www.goglra.org/.
PPL Renewable Energy already has developed renewable energy projects that total more than 15 megawatts of generation -- enough to power 12,000 homes. These include solar panel installations and landfill gas projects in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
In addition, PPL purchases energy from the 24-megawatt Bear Creek wind farm near Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and the 26-megawatt Locust Ridge project in Mahanoy City, Pa.
Other projects, including new solar, landfill gas, wind and biomass, are under development by PPL. In addition to providing the investment for the power generation system, PPL builds, operates and maintains its renewable generating facilities.
PPL Corporation, headquartered in Allentown, Pa., controls more than 11,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to more than 4 million customers in Pennsylvania the United Kingdom. More information is available at http://www.pplweb.com/.
