Green Energy
Latest technology turns waste into sustainable power
Riverbend is more than a landfill. Today and in the future, this site is a community platform for recycling and green technologies that do good things with waste – like generate clean and renewable energy.
With the installation of a $10 million energy plant in 2011, Riverbend is now using landfill gas to generate 4 megawatts of electricity in collaboration with McMinnville Water and Light. That’s enough to power 2,500 local homes and businesses.
How does it work? Pipes that run through the landfill collect methane gas from decomposing waste. This gas is used to power large combustion engines that generate electricity. The Environmental Protection Agency recognizes the use of landfill gas as an environmentally friendly resource that helps reduce our reliance on fossil fuels like coal and oil.
The plant doesn’t just generate electricity. It also generates interest from visitors eager to learn about green technologies, renewable energy and recycling. More than 200 local students and 50 environmental, business and academic groups toured the facility in its first year.
