Gas-to-electricity plant opens in California

US energy firm Bowerman Power has opened a new green energy plant in California.

The plant, based in Orange County, will turn landfill gas into electricity. According to Bowerman, the facility will provide enough electricity to power 26,000 homes.

With Bowerman, a subsidiary of Montauk Energy, joining the Olinda Landfill in Brea and the Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano as a renewable-energy site, all of Orange County's major waste-disposal facilities now have gas-to-electricity plants.

This is the largest project of its kind utilising landfill gas that combines gas feedstock clean up, large-scale Cat reciprocating engine-generators and selective catalytic reduction technology to meet the strict emission requirements here in Orange County," said Montauk CEO David Herrman.

He added: "The result is efficient operations with high on-line availability, coupled with the ample and steady gas supply from the landfill, to ensure reliable production of renewable energy and all its benefits 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."

The plant was officially opened by business and government officials at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.