Sunshine Gas Producers begins renewable energy production in California

Sunshine Gas Producers, a joint venture between DTE Biomass Energy and EIF Renewable Energy Holdings through its subsidiary Landfill Energy Systems, has started generating electricity from landfill gas at its recently built renewable energy facility at the Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Sylmar.

DTE Biomass Energy developed and will also operate the plant, which has the capacity to generate 20MW. Browning-Ferris Industries of California, a subsidiary of Republic Services, owns and operates the landfill site.

Landfill gas generated at the site will be used to produce renewable energy to be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric under a long-term power purchase agreement. The power plant, which includes five turbine generators and a staff of four, is capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power nearly 25,000 homes.

'We are proud to help fulfil California's 33% renewable energy goal through our investment in this base load electric production facility,' says Richard DiGia, president of EIF Renewable Energy Holdings. 'The opening of the Sunshine Canyon Landfill facility is another positive step for the use of domestic renewable energy to drive cost-effective and cleaner energy production by enabling the conversion of landfill gas from waste into power generation.'