Landfill Methane Gas In New York, Solar Panels In Cloudy Michigan Being Used To Generate Power

November 4, 2008 12:21 p.m. EST

Auburn, NY (AHN) - Municipal governments as well as public utilities are jumping on the renewable energy bandwagon, utilizing everything from methane gas produced by rotting garbage at the town dump to solar energy produced by solar panels that work even on cloudy days to generate power.

Auburn, New York city officials have reportedly partnered with Poughkeepsie-based CH-Auburn company to tap into methane gas at the town dump to generate low-cost energy for the city.

In Lansing, Michigan, public utility Lansing Board of Water & Light will install a 432-panel solar array that will generate enough power to provide electricity to 50 homes.

Utility officials say the size of the array would normally power more homes, but they chose solar panels that will generate power even on cloudy days, which reduced the overall output of the panels.

Michigan law requires utilities to generate 10 percent of the power they provide from renewable sources. So BWL says it plans to meet the goal by also using hydroelectric dams, burning landfill methane gas, like Auburn, New York, and also burn other waste products including cardboard, to generate power.