Doubling the Capacity...
Omaha Public Power District Expands Renewable Energy Plant
One of Nebraska’s largest sources of renewable energy grew in July 2006. In late July, Omaha Public Power District dedicated an expansion of its Elk City Generating Station, next to the Douglas County landfill.
The Elk City station is powered by gas generated from the landfill. Since the station opened in April 2002 through May 2006, it has produced nearly 114 million kilowatt-hours, enough electricity to power about 2,000 homes. From a renewable energy perspective, the output from the landfill plant has only been exceeded by the state’s two giant wind turbine farms near Kimball and Ainsworth.
The expansion will mean eight engines capable of producing electricity instead of the six currently operating. Once all generators are operating at full capacity the plant will generate 6.4 megawatts of power. That would double the current capacity, producing enough energy to power the needs of 4,000 average homes.
OPPD Isn’t Alone in Using Biomass
In 2005, more than 42 million kilowatthours of electricity were generated by biomass energy in Nebraska, a decrease of five percent from 2004. Biomass generation has been tracked in the state since 1995.
The four current biomass generation plants in Nebraska: