State and Local Climate and Energy Program
Using Landfill Gas to Recycle Glass and Provide Energy to the Metropolitan Detention Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Federal Funding: $500,000
Project Timeline: July 2010 – July 2013
Latest Update
Albuquerque is planning a pipeline that will transport natural gas from the landfill to the county's detention facility where it will fire the facility's heating and hot water boilers. The City has secured a design-build contractor to complete the project and is holding planning meetings. The contractor proposed the substitution and purchase of a larger boiler to be installed at the Metropolitan Detention Center at no additional cost. Once the planning meetings are complete, the contractor will submit plan drawings to the State of New Mexico Pipeline Safety Bureau and begin construction activities.
Project Summary
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Utilizing Landfill Gas for Heating and Recycling in a Public-Private Partnership
To reduce the use of fossil fuels and related greenhouse gas emissions, Albuquerque will use methane gas from its main landfill, currently flared, to fire the heating and hot water boilers at the County detention facility. In conjunction with this work, the city will conduct a public education campaign about renewable energy technologies.
The project will build a gas line from the gas control and collection system (GCCS) to the nearby Metropolitan Detention Center. The center’s six boilers will be switched over to use landfill gas, starting with three of the boilers and then firing more as the landfill expands.
The City is also developing a public education strategy, targeting the general public, green entrepreneurs, and governmental agencies. The emphasis will be on renewable energy, green technologies, public empowerment, and sustainability in public-private partnerships.
Community Characteristics
| Population: | 508,000 |
|---|---|
| Area: | 181 square miles |
| Government Type: | City |
| Community Type: | Urban |
| Median Household Income: | $45,962 |
Program Results
| Reported Results (as of September 2012) | Projected Cumulative Results | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual GHG Reductions | 0 mt CO2e | 21,700 mt CO2e |
| Renewable Energy Generation | 0 MMBTUs/hour | 5 MMBTUs/hour |
