Date: June 20, 2016
Source: Fortistar
Fortistar (White Plains, NY) announced that it has upgraded its Lopez Canyon Landfill (Lake View Terrace, CA) methane gas-to-energy plant. It will generate 3 megawatts (MW) of electrical power for the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) under contract for the next 20 years. Fortistar is in the midst of a $3 million upgrade of the power station that includes landfill gas compression systems, two low-emission diesel engines and transmission infrastructure. The Lopez Canyon Landfill, which opened in 1975 and closed in 1996, holds 19 million tons of waste. The Lopez Energy project is the only landfill gas (LFG) renewable energy project in the City of Los Angeles Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program, which promotes active investment in and promotion of renewable energy sources. LADWP ultimately hopes to meet the state-mandated goal of 33 percent renewable energy by 2020.
According to the US EPA, landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the country, accounting for approximately 18.2 percent of emissions in 2014.
Fortistar manages 31 LFG projects in the United States with an approximate capacity of 174 MW.
PRESS RELEASE
June 16, 2016
Fortistar Modernizes Only Landfill Gas to Renewable Energy Project in Los Angeles
Lopez Energy Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project Upgrades Facility to Supply Power to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Supporting California State Goal of 33% Renewable Energy by 2020
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Fortistar, management specialists focused on investments in energy sources for transitioning to a zero carbon economy, announced that it has upgraded its renewable landfill gas (LFG) to energy station at the closed Lopez Canyon Landfill managed by LA Sanitation. The station will supply 3 megawatts (MW) of electrical power to the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
Located in Lake View Terrace, CA, Fortistar's Lopez Landfill Gas Energy Station is the only LFG renewable energy project in the City of Los Angeles Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program, which promotes active investment in and promotion of renewable energy sources. The FiT Program allows the LADWP to partner with third-party energy companies, like Fortistar, to purchase electricity from renewable energy generating systems for the city's power grid, helping it meet the state-mandated goal of 33 percent renewable energy by 2020.
"Smart investments in green technology are key to building a more sustainable future for Los Angeles," said City of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "By creating renewable energy from the greenhouse gas it captures, the Lopez Landfill Gas Energy Station will reduce emissions while making our city more resilient."
"With this landfill gas station, Lopez Canyon is a valuable renewable energy resource in the Northeast San Fernando Valley," said Councilmember Felipe Fuentes who represents the Seventh Council District. "This project will help the City of Los Angeles meet its renewable energy mandates and sustainability goals."
Lopez Canyon Landfill opened in 1975 and has been closed to refuse collection since 1996. Over 19 million tons of waste in the landfill continues to produce gas from buried trash. An extensive and sophisticated landfill gas collection and conveyance system delivers the gas to the upgraded facility to convert this landfill gas to renewable energy, helping meet the goal of reducing carbon emissions in a cost effective way.
"Municipalities and companies are increasingly looking to reduce their carbon footprint to meet sustainability goals. Renewable landfill gas-to-energy is one of the cost effective ways to achieve this," said Mark Comora, CEO of Fortistar. "Furthermore, municipalities can turn their landfills into renewable energy assets that generate additional revenue."
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, landfills are the third-largest source of human-related landfill gas emissions in the United States. At the same time, landfill gas emissions from landfills represent an opportunity to capture and generate a significant energy resource.
"As both the local economy and our communities have continued to grow, so has the demand for our most precious resources," said California State Assemblywoman Patty López (D-San Fernando). "The importance of developing and maintaining renewable energy supplies in this region cannot be overstated. And by leveraging key partnerships between the public and private sectors, we can find a way to secure the future of our residents, our businesses and our environment."
The Lopez Energy LFG station is owned, operated and managed by Lopez Energy LLC, a Fortistar company. Fortistar manages 31 LFG projects in the United States with approximate capacity of 174 MW that combined have carbon pollution sequestration equivalent to 7,000,000 acres of forests—a forest larger than New Jersey and Delaware combined.
"LADWP values local renewable generation resources, such as landfill gas generation projects, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Michael Webster, Executive Director of Power System Engineering and Technical Services at LADWP. "We are proud to partner with Fortistar on the Lopez Canyon project as part of a continuing effort to meet our renewable energy goals."
"Working together with our public and private partners, our landfill energy project reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, offsets the use and cost of non-renewable resources from fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal, and improves our local air quality," said Enrique C. Zaldivar, director of LA Sanitation. "The continued development of advanced environmentally, economically, and socially responsible energy projects such as the facility we have at Lopez Canyon will help ensure a sustainable future for us all."
For more than 30 years as a privately-owned firm, Fortistar has built, invested in and managed an unparalleled portfolio of successful LFG projects and other transitional clean energy generation projects in the U.S. and Canada. Fortistar's ability to forge strong relationships with partners and local communities has been a hallmark of the company's formula for success.
ABOUT FORTISTAR
Headquartered in White Plains, New York, Fortistar is an opportunity-oriented, astute private investment and energy asset management firm that is distinguished by its experienced people with a deep understanding of energy operations, financing and development. Fortistar owns and operates lower carbon energy generating assets that support the transition to zero carbon emissions.
For decades, the company has developed, invested in and managed an unparalleled portfolio of successful lower carbon energy initiatives in the United States and Canada, including cogeneration facilities; compressed natural gas fueling stations; landfill power plants; and biomass facilities.
Fortistar attributes its success to taking a long-term perspective of energy projects as well as having strong relationships with partners and local communities.
Fortistar companies include TruStar Energy, Primary Energy Recycling, Fortistar Methane Group, Fortistar Biomass Group, and Skyonic.
For more information, please visit www.fortistar.com.
For more information, contact:
Makovsky
Samantha Nevels, 707-486-5344
snevels@makovsky.com.
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