Members of Dairyland Power Cooperative receive renewable energy from two landfill gas-to-energy (LGE) biogas facilities. Nearly 12,000 homes in Dairyland’s service territory can be powered with by the two LGE power plants.
LGE plants turn something negative—methane gas—into something positive that we all need: renewable energy. The plants are also very efficient power producers, and don’t come with concerns about fuel supply. It’s unlikely landfills will ever run out of garbage!
How does it work?
The process from curbside garbage to green energy is simple in concept. The trash you put out on the curb is collected and sent to a landfill. As the trash decomposes, it produces methane gas. This natural byproduct of garbage decomposition is the fuel used to generate renewable energy. An LGE facility harnesses the methane gas to power the generators, which create electricity that is sent to the consumers whose trash began the cycle.
