►
Description
Ribbon cutting ceremony for the Landfill Gas-to-Energy Generator project that took place on Friday, April 27th at the Buncombe County Landfill.
The Landfill Gas to Energy project uses methane gas produced as trash decomposes to generate electricity. A series of methane wells and a huge generator were installed in 2011. Production began earlier this year but is only now reaching full capacity. The generator is expected to produce 1.4 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power 1,100 homes per year.
Agenda:
~Welcome - Jon Creighton
~Commissioner Chairman David Gantt
~Commissioner Holly Jones
~Commissioner Bill Stanley
~Commissioner Carol Peterson
~Randy Flack, Field Representative, Heath Shuler
~Chris Gable, CDM
~Jeff Lovin, French Broad Electric
A
B
B
B
Well,
let
me
there
are
two
parts
to
this.
Actually,
some
of
them
right
we're
not
here
to
celebrate
the
first
part,
but
the
first
part
is
we're
actually
taking
the
what's
called
the
leachate.
The
stuff
that
comes
down
off
of
this
is
very
for
you,
scientists
and
you
engineers
you're,
going
to
laugh
at
the
way
I
put
this,
but
it's
the
stuff
that
goes
through
the
landfill,
we're
recirculating
that
so
we're
trying
to
have
a
landfill
that
will
last
hopefully
forever
but
at
least
extend
the
time.
B
B
You
know
ever
since
the
cavemen
and
cave
women
they've
just
buried
their
stuff
in
the
in
the
ground.
Well,
that's
probably
not
a
good
use
of
land.
It's
probably
not
the
best
way
to
do
things
so
by
doing
this,
by
taking
the
gas
that's
coming
off
here,
taking
the
water
out
of
it,
making
it
into
electricity
selling
it
to
french
broad
electric.
B
B
B
We
have
and
we're
going
to
meet
our
moral
obligation
to
our
kids,
our
grandkids
and
everybody
that
comes
after
us
to
try
not
to
use
as
much
energy
and
to
be
smarter
with
our
natural
resources.
So
we're
not
just
siding
landfills,
we're
not
just
taking
land
out
of
circulation
and
we're
trying
to
use
the
waste
products
instead,
just
burning
them
off
or
using
them.
Some
other
way
we're
going
to
be
smarter
and
I
think
that's
what
we're
supposed
to
as
government.
B
I
think
government's
supposed
to
lead
the
way
on
some
of
this,
and
I
want
to
thank
everybody
for
taking
time
to
come
here
today,
because
this
is
a
celebration
for
everybody
in
buncombe
county
that
we're
doing
something
that's
going
to
make
a
difference
today,
tomorrow,
all
the
way
into
the
future.
So
it
is
my
pleasure
to
be
the
chairman
of
a
board
that
had
part
of
this,
but
the
leadership
bob
hunter
jerry,
mears,
wanda,
green
they're,
making
this
and
john
creighton
are
making
this
happen,
and
it
wouldn't
happen
without
you.
So
thank
you.
C
I'll
be
very
brief
in
this
campaign
season,
I
want
to
echo
the
accolades
that
have
already
been
shared
today
to
our
staff,
as
well
as
to
to
congressman
schuler's
office.
In
particular,
I
think
that's
we're
lucky
to
have
a
visionary
like
congressman,
schuler
in
terms
of
the
environment
and
he's
been
he's
been
a
leader
and
he's
cared.
So
I
want
to
share
those
accolades
and
also
say
that,
as
david
mentioned,
this
today
is
really
there's
two
messages
from
me.
C
C
We
can
see
what
can
happen
when,
when
we're
open
and
when
we're
we're
looking
towards
the
future
and-
and
that's
very
important
for
me
personally
to
be
inspired
about
right
now.
Inspired
for
my
daughter,
inspired
for
her
her
friends.
The
final
thing
I
want
to
say
the
final
thank
you
is
because
I
think
that
the
the
local
officials,
you
know
we
get
a
little
bit
of
a
pat
on
the
back
and
and
the
federal
officials
as
well,
and
our
staff
has
just
done
a
fabulous
job.
But
you
know
who
I
am
grateful
for.
C
C
D
D
Bob
hunter
brought
this
to
us
this
idea
of
this
thing
and
sold
our
county
manager
and
our
assistant
county
manager
and
the
rest
of
commissioners.
On
this
thing
I
didn't
know
what
he's
talking
about
said.
We
were
one
of
two
counties:
the
government
epa,
whoever
they
were
issued,
two
grants
or
whatever
I
think,
and
one
on
the
east
coast,
one
on
the
west
coast.
We
got
the
east
coast,
one
they
were
out
in
california,
iolano
county.
D
What's
the
name
of
that
place,
john
yolo
yolo
county
california,
wherever
that
is
they
had
one
went
out
there
and
looked
at
it,
and
they
showed
me
that
here's
the
landfill,
that's
not
using
this
and
here's
one
of
these
and
it's
sunk
thing
was
down
so
we're.
I
think
the
fact
that
we're
saving
the
landfill
space
with
what
we're
doing
and
providing
power,
but
thank
goodness,
we
had
the
bob
hunter
and
we
had
dwanda
green,
the
john
jackson
and
jerry
mears
and
all
over
there
now,
the
ones
we've
got
now
looking
after
this.
D
E
I'd
like
to
express
my
appreciation
to
everyone
who
is
here
and
to
the
elected
officials,
but
most
of
all,
to
the
management
of
buncombe
county,
the
great
job
that
they
do
and
the
foresight
they
have
to
put
us
in
a
position
to
be
able
to
be
here
today
to
be
excited
about
this.
What
I'd
like
to
talk
to
you
really
about
is
the
cooperation
that
it
takes
among
government
agencies
to
get
this
kind
of
thing
done.
E
Several
years
ago,
your
county
commissioners,
we
sent
a
representative
group
to
washington.
We
go
to
what's
called
a
legislative
goals
meeting
and
at
that
meeting
john
had
asked
prior
to
that
that
we
haven't
set
up
an
appointment
with
congressman
schuler,
which
we
did.
This
was
at
a
time
when
my
husband
bruce
was
the
district
director
for
congressman
shuler's
office.
So
we
went
to
his
office.
Sat
with
his
staff
talked
about
the
need
that
we
had
here
in
buncombe
county.
E
E
You
see
the
result
of
that.
It's
buncombe
county,
it's
the
state,
it's
the
federal
folks,
but
the
real
winners
are
the
citizens
of
buncombe
county.
So
thank
you
for
being
here.
It's
our
pleasure
to
have
been
a
small
part
of
this
and
it's
my
pleasure
to
introduce
congressman
schuler's
representative
here
today.
Randy
flack.
F
My
remarks
will
be
very
short,
but
what
I
want
to
say
is
this
is
an
example
of
what
we
need
to
be
doing
more
of
in
this
country.
We've
got.
We
have
got
to
work
on
the
environment
and
on
better
ways
of
producing
energy,
for
the
people
of
western
north
carolina
and
buncombe
county.
Specifically,
this
is
a
real
good
example
of
people
who
work
together,
mr
hunter
and
and
and
your
crew
and
and
the
ideas
you
put
it
forth,
and
the
county
commissioners
had
the
vision
to
do
this.
F
I'm
hoping
that
20
years
to
go
20
years
from
now,
they'll
look
back
to
20
years
ago
today
and
say:
can
you
remember
when
they
used
that
old
thing
out
there
and
they
started
this
whole
thing
and
the
whole
country's
changed
as
a
result
of
what
they
did
in
buncombe
county?
I
also
want
to
say
that
it's
an
example
of
how
people
in
washington
work
together,
I
do
want
to
ask
them
to
stand
up.
Freddie
harrell
from
senator
hagin's
office
is
here
today
and
john
mitchell
from
senator
burr's
office.
F
At
a
time
and
time
in
this
country,
when
it's
too
often
us
versus
them,
this
is
an
example
of
we,
and
this
is
what
we
have
to
come
back
to
in
this
country.
Forget
us
versus
them
and
work
for
we,
we
the
people,
so
I
want
to
commend
the
county
commissioners
for
their
foresight
and
and
everybody
who
had
a
part
in
this.
Thank
you
so
much.
G
Chris
gable,
I'm
with
cdm
smith
and
cdn
smith,
has
worked
together
with
the
county
here
on
many
rewarding
projects
over
the
years
at
this
award-winning
facility,
and
but
I
think
this
project
is
particularly
gratifying
to
us,
because
I
think
it's
one
of
the
best
examples
of
the
county's
commitment
to
to
protecting
the
environment
through
innovation
and
while
the
the
development
of
this
project,
we
had
a
lot
of
challenges
along
the
way.
Getting
this
thing
getting
this
thing
built,
the
concept
of
it
is
pretty
simple:
it's
pretty
straightforward!
G
What
we're
really
doing
is
focusing
on
the
organic
materials
in
the
landfill,
such
as
food
waste
and
paper.
Other
things
like
that
that
are
disposed
into
landfill,
they're,
broken
down
by
bacteria
and
the
the
bacteria.
That's
naturally
present
in
the
soils.
As
these
bacteria
consume
the
waste,
the
organic
waste
they
create
more
space
than
the
landfill
and
they
produce
a
number
of
by-products
referred
to
collectively
as
the
landfill
gas.
G
Now
these
constituents
you're
primarily
talking
about
carbon
dioxide
and
methane.
The
methane
portion
is
really
what
we're
focused
on
and
that's
a
very
potent
greenhouse
gas.
It's
approximately
21
times
stronger
than
co2.
As
a
as
far
as
its
heat
capturing
capabilities,
but
it's
also
an
excellent
fuel
source
for
engines
and
boilers,
as
you
see
here
so
by
using
it,
we
can
produce
power.
G
This
is
achieved
by
a
drilling
device
called
a
bucket
auger,
and
this
specially
equipped
drill
rig,
creates
a
large
diameter
hole
and
with
that,
we
installed
25
wells
across
the
landfill
using
the
bucket
auger
and
then
installed
a
network
of
pipes
that
connect
all
these
wells
to
a
central
collection,
pipe
that
runs
along
the
perimeter
of
the
landfill
and
directly
behind
you
that
large
diameter
pipe
comes
out
of
the
ground
and
connects
at
the
flare
station.
That's
a
two
foot
diameter
pipe.
G
So
the
use
of
the
vacuum
system
that
you
see
off
to
the
other
side
near
the
flare
station
really
allows
us
to
pull
out
as
much
of
the
gas
as
possible
and
that
gas
is
produced
as
it
comes
out
of
the
landfill
it's
very
wet
and
really
not
of
a
of
acceptable
quality
for
the
generator.
So
the
system
is
also
equipped
with
a
series
of
heat
exchangers
filters.
G
Others
devices
that
remove
the
moisture,
remove
the
particulate
from
the
from
the
gas
and
get
it
cleaned
up
and
adequate
to
go
to
the
generator
one
other
aspect
of
it.
I
think
it's
interesting
is
the
this.
The
system
is
equipped
with
a
computerized
data
collection
system
that
records
a
continuous
stream
of
information,
that's
being
relayed
wirelessly
down
to
the
administration
building,
so
the
operators
themselves
can
can
monitor
it
at
all
times.
G
G
G
Construction
of
the
second
phase
of
this
project
is
underway
in
the
active
cell
of
the
landfill
and
we're
incorporating
a
couple
significant
advancements.
I
think
one
is
what
we're
calling
an
early
capture
system
for
the
gas
that's
being
generated
in
the
active
cells
of
the
landfill,
we're
now
able
to
capture
that
as
well
as
at
in
in
the
final
stages
such
as
what
we're
looking
at
in
the
landfill
over
here.
G
H
Thank
you,
chris,
and
thank
you
for
having
me
here
kind
of
got
nervous
when
I
came
in
and
saw
all
these
rocks
sitting
around
and
me
the
lone
representative
of
utility
here
and
we've
historically
taken
a
black
eye
when
it
comes
to
renewable
generation.
So
please
don't
throw
rocks
till
I
at
least
tell
you
what
I
got
to
say
and
then,
if
you
don't
like
it,
then
I'll
take
cover.
But
I
really
appreciate
being
here
really
excited
about
such
a
project.
H
You
know
when
this
first
came
on
my
desk
been
two
or
three
years
ago.
Now
wasn't
sure
we
didn't
know
anything
about
renewable
generation
as
far
as
landfill
gas
goes
and
as
we
got
more
educated
on
it,
it
really
sounded
like
a
good
project.
Obviously,
buncombe
county
had
a
lot
of
foresight,
confidence
and
not
only
their
vision,
but
also
chris
and
his
group,
and
how
they
could
engineer
such
product
and
and
it's
really
it's
one
of
the
win-win
situations.
You
know
we're
all
for
win-win
situations.
H
Those
just
don't
happen
very
often,
especially
in
our
business.
You
know
somebody's
got
to
lose
for
somebody
else
to
win,
and
this
is
one
of
those
few
projects
that
just
don't
seem
to
be
that
way.
We're
really
excited
about
it.
You
know
we
as
a
nation
from
a
utilities
perspective,
we
kind
of
we
got
fat
dumb
and
happy
in
the
80s
we
set
back.
We
built
a
lot
of
nuclear
plants
and
coal
generation
and
and
later
on,
as
restrictions
became
more
and
more
pertinent.
H
We
we
kind
of
weaned
off
of
that
and
went
towards
natural
gas,
and
so
that's
where
we've
been
the
last
several
years.
You
know
if
you
look
at
new
generation
a
lot
of
it's
been
natural
gas
and
you
know
with
the
with
the
frailing
and
fracking
and
all
the
other
technologies
that
have
come
out.
You
know.
Well,
that's
a
good
thing.
That's
a
bad
thing,
a
lot
of
personal
opinion,
but
you
know
in
the
end
it's
another
fossil
fuel
and
something
that
you
know.
Nobody
really
knows.
H
You
know
how
much
that's
going
to
be
around
10
years
from
now
or
20
years
from
now
or
50
years
from
now.
You
know,
a
lot
of
us
got.
Kids
and
we're
all
concerned
about
the
environment
from
a
utility
perspective.
You
know
we're
concerned
about
the
environment,
but
we've
got
to
be
concerned
today
and
tomorrow
how
we're
going
to
meet
the
energy
needs
and
meet
those
needs
at
a
reasonable
cost,
and
this
is
one
of
those
projects
that
does
all
the
above.
H
You
know
it
prevents
you
know.
Hopefully,
as
these
projects
expand
throughout
our
nation,
you
know
it's
going
to
minimize
the
number
of
new
plants
we
have
to
put
online,
especially
coal
plants,
and,
and
you
know,
nuclear
plants
and
those
type
of
plants.
You
know
they're
very
they're,
very
costly,
they're,
very
expensive.
They
take
a
long
time
to
build,
especially
with
coal.
You've
got
a
lot
of
adverse
environmental
effects,
not
not
that
there's
not
a
lot
with
nuclear
too,
but
you
know
this.
H
H
H
That's
not
only
this
project,
but
we've
got
several
solar
projects
underway.
We
we
own
a
hydroelectric
facility
on
the
french
broad
river.
We
buy
a
lot
of
as
much
hydroelectric
power
from
sepa
that
we
can
do
so.
It's
really
a
good
thing
and
and
these
kind
of
projects
you
meet
all
the
needs
of
utility.
They
can
run
several
hours,
they
can
be
on
on
peak
demand
and
and
the
fuel
is
essentially
free.
So
it's
just
a
great
thing
for
all
of
us,
so
we
ought
to
celebrate
today
and
to
do
that.
A
I
guess
in
concluding
I'd
like
to
ask
everybody
to
stop
by
and
in
the
back,
we've
got
some
soft
drinks
cookies.
We
also
have
the
buncombe
county
green
bags
to
give
away
staff
will
be
available
after
the
ribbon
cutting
to
to
talk
to
you
all
about.
You
know
the
mechanics
of
how
the
system
works.
If
you'd
like
to
take
a
tour
or
see
the
generator.
D
One
developer
left
out
the
guy
that
started.
This
thing
was
along
with
walmart
bob,
would
understand
a
little
bit
about
sitting
right
there,
everybody
don't
know
him
and
his
pretty
wife
standing
that
they
did
not
be
very
big
behind
that
country,
but
streaming
him
set
up
a
young
engineer.
I
remember
meeting
him
about
24
years
ago.
He
had
his
first
child
who's
now
going
to
georgia
on
a
baseball
scholarship,
but
he
was
in
a
little
basket
today
at
a
conference
down
in
winston-salem.
I
think,
but
joe
wyden
was
my
engineer.