The AD plant will help to advance communities in New York City towards a more sustainable future as well as serving as an innovative model of how clean, on-site power can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project is in alignment with Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision, the state’s comprehensive energy strategy to build a clean future for all New Yorkers.
“This exciting project is yet one more way we’re investing in a sustainable energy future and building a cleaner and greener New York” Governor Cuomo said. “This first-of-its kind project for Long Island and the greater New York metropolitan area will build upon this administration’s commitment to expand the state’s use of renewable energy and reduce our carbon footprint.”
The new AD plant will be operated by American Organic Energy at Long Island Compost’s 62-acre facility in Yaphank, Suffolk County where it will process over twice as much food waste as currently processed at any existing privately-owned food waste digesters accepting offsite food waste in New York State. It will process approximately 120,000 tons of food waste, 30,000 tons of fats, oils and greases and 10,000 tons of grass clippings. These would normally have gone into landfill, contributing to harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The digester will instead convert these resources into clean energy, clean water for plant processes and solid fertilizer.
Richard Kauffman, Chairman of Energy and Finance for New York added that under Reforming the Energy Vision, New York is making it possible for innovators to test and market sophisticated energy solutions uniquely tailored to the needs of the city’s communities. This is in turn a vital part of building a cleaner, efficient and affordable energy infrastructure which is helping New York to meet its ambitious renewable energy goals for the future.
The project is scheduled to be completed in August 2016 and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40,000 tons annually, equivalent to removing 8,125 cars from the road. It is part of the Cleaner, Greener Communities programme, a major state-wide initiative encouraging communities to incorporate sustainability goals and principles into local plans and projects. The programme enables communities to form partnerships that transform markets and lead to expanded deployment of clean energy, the reduction of emissions and the generation of economic development benefits. It is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and empowers communities to take action, providing technical resources and decision-making tools on land use, housing, transportation, energy, economic development and environmental practices, aiming to achieve a more vibrant and prosperous New York.
Long Island Compost is planning to convert biogas from the plant to renewable natural gas that will be used to fuel its trucks on-site, reducing diesel consumption by 200,000 gallons annually. An additional 1.9 million gallons of diesel per year will be offset by injecting the remaining renewable gas produced by the digester into the National Grid natural gas pipeline on Long Island. This will enable the gas to be used to fuel compressed natural gas vehicles in other areas.
Cleaner, Greener Communities is funded through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the first market-based regulatory programme in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont to cap and reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector.
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