Methane power plant at Bowerman Landfill - impact on Portola Springs?

I don't see a pro in this situation unless there's a reduction in electricity cost for Irvine residents.

The landfill surely is already collecting methane gas at this point as to not allow them to be leaked into the environment.

The process that they are adding I think is the process of burning the methane and driving a generator to create electricity.  I can only see negative impacts (EMFs, air pollution from burning methane, more chance of leak, explosion...?) to the surrounding neighborhoods and no positives.

Anyone have more insight?
 
If someone can harness ghost energy, then maybe less people would be opposed to a Veteran's cemetery. :) :) :)

#FridayHumorForYaliu
 
timandjess said:
I don't see a pro in this situation unless there's a reduction in electricity cost for Irvine residents.

The landfill surely is already collecting methane gas at this point as to not allow them to be leaked into the environment.

The process that they are adding I think is the process of burning the methane and driving a generator to create electricity.  I can only see negative impacts (EMFs, air pollution from burning methane, more chance of leak, explosion...?) to the surrounding neighborhoods and no positives.

Anyone have more insight?
Click to expand...

The pro is that the methane gas is not being built up underground and not leaking into the air.  It also fuels the garbage trucks so they're not spewing out diesel or gasoline pollutants.
 
Okay... back on topic:

According to the articles Smashed posted, LFG energy conversion is more environmentally friendly than the methane gas. There is some pollution but if you offset the fossil fuel pollution from the replacement electricity produced and the minimization of methane pollution, it may be more beneficial.

To me, this is similar to hybrid cars and EV cars. Yes, they reduce the dependence on fossil fuel and reduce emissions, but no one considers that making the batteries for these cars probably creates similar pollution.

Just from a general point of view, producing energy from a pollutant by-product seems like a pro.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Okay... back on topic:

According to the articles Smashed posted, LFG energy conversion is more environmentally friendly than the methane gas. There is some pollution but if you offset the fossil fuel pollution from the replacement electricity produced and the minimization of methane pollution, it may be more beneficial.

To me, this is similar to hybrid cars and EV cars. Yes, they reduce the dependence on fossil fuel and reduce emissions, but no one considers that making the batteries for these cars probably creates similar pollution.

Just from a general point of view, producing energy from a pollutant by-product seems like a pro.
Click to expand...

It think it depends on a lot of things but I think the idea is that it's a step.  Making batteries and electricity are bad but we can work on making those things more environmental.  If you continued to use gasoline powered vehicles, you have no incentive to change the existing dependency on fossil fuels.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2013/07/21/are-electric-cars-really-that-polluting/
 
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