EASTHAMPTON - On a barren hill at the end of a wooded road, a team of electricians and engineers is giving new life to a dead zone, where toxic fumes seep from grass-covered vents.

Along the sloping ground of the old landfill on Oliver Street, which was sealed 18 years ago after being stuffed with tons of sludge, household garbage, and industrial waste, the contractors are erecting 10,000 solar panels - the first of a dozen major projects around the state designed to transform desolate dumps into sources of renewable energy.

Groton - A California-based company with a Massachusetts division wants to locate an array of solar panels that would generate renewable energy at the town's landfill on Flanders Road.

The Town Council agreed Tuesday night, pending the scrutiny of the town attorney, to sign a letter of intent with Borrego Solar, of Lowell, Mass. That would allow Borrego, with state approval, to build and install a ground-mounted solar facility capable of generating between one and five megawatts of electricity in partnership or under contract with Connecticut Light & Power.

Borrego would lease space at the landfill from the town for up to 20 years. According to the letter of intent, Borrego, or Borrego and CL&P would, pay up to $25,000 annually for each megawatt of the system's capacity.

A 3-megawatt system could produce as much as $75,000 per year for the town.

North Haven is doing it. Municipalities in states across the country have done it. Now, Branford has come up with a preliminary concept for the town’s landfill closure that includes solar panels on seven acres of the nearly 30-acre fill off Tabor Drive.

On Feb. 1, the Board of Selectmen gave its permission for the commission to move forward with the plans, which are being developed by the Manchester-based environmental engineering firm of Fuss & O’Neill.

To tap the power of landfill gas, there’s one company to turn to: Caterpillar®.
Landfill methane is an abundant and readily available renewable energy source. It has the potential
to fuel 2,700 MW of electric generating capacity in the United States alone and 9,000 MW worldwide.
To reduce greenhouse gases, governments around the world are encouraging projects that turn landfill gas
to electricity. When you want to put landfill methane to work generating power, turn to Caterpillar.

FORT BENNING, Ga. — Gas from Fort Benning’s landfill will soon be used to make electric power.

The west Georgia Army post is teaming up with FlexEnergy Inc. for the project.

Fort Benning officials say the landfill will convert landfill gas into enough renewable electricity to power 250 homes. They say using the waste will create clean energy with zero emissions.

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reports that Vernon Duck, Fort Benning’s energy manager, says the clean electricity will power internal operations and help reach the Department of Defense’s goals of energy independence, renewable energy and sustainability.

Tiverton could boast a success like this if we could come together to work toward it.
United we stand
Divided we fall

JOHNSTON RI.– Ridgewood Renewable Power LLC, an international energy company, plans to spend $80 million over the next two years to construct a state-of-the-art gas-to-electric power plant at the state Central Landfill, company executives and state officials announced today.

Ridgewood has been operating gas-to-electric facilities – converting the natural gas produced by decomposing garbage into energy – at the landfill since 1996. (READ MORE) The new plant will more than double the company’s on-site generating capacity, from 20 megawatts at present to 47.6 megawatts when the project is completed, probably in 2010.

Plants like this ,and an uncorrupted Legislature could bring our Electric Costs down making RI. a little more business friendly.

Stick to engineering Roger.

Underfunded schools + elimination of sports and after school activities x families shunning Tiverton = ghost town.

I can never understand why everyone goes on and on about how much money the school needs compared to the municipal Departments. Doesn't it seem obvious it would need more money considering how many children are in the school? And I'm sorry...I only skimmed your article. It was long and tedious. I couldn't be bothered.

I could be wrong, but haven't we already been taxed on the $610,257? I am pretty sure we have been. This money seems to be mentioned over and over again by the TCC.

I do not know who makes less sense, this letter or one of Jim L's grammatically challenged diatribes? The bottom line is this, Nelson's Alternate Budget cuts the schools by $587,000 while adding $400,000 to the municipal budget. Under both budget scenarios, the Town gets just about all their priorities while under Nelson's budget the School Department will have to close an elementary school or eliminate all of it's after school programming including athletics and band. What is wrong with this picture?

"When we add the proposed 3.17216% to the additional 2.79492% that was received from the Tiverton taxpayers on 04/10/12 ($610,257 / $21,834,488 = 2.79492%) after the RI Department of Education decided that it could reinterpret/rewrite the RIGL, and the Supreme Court refused to consider the dispute" not for 'nuthin as they say....this $$ was already added to the appropriated figures....BUT WAS NOT RECEIVED.....So Mr. Benis, aren't you READDING $ that were already in the appropriation....I'm no accountant, but it seems to me that adding money, twice, makes a mess of your calculation.

ELIMINATE LIBRARY FUNDING CUTS. SUPPORT NELSON PETITION. PLEASE VOTE YES ON BUDGET PROPOSAL #2.

I am shocked that Mr. Bennis a known TCC supporter would publish inaccurate information. Are we seeing a pattern here with the TCC crowd? The TCC is hoping residents will be distracted with erroneous information and not pay attention to Mr. Nelson's proposed budget which would increase municipal spending but at the same time cripple/destroy the School Department

ELIMINATE DEEP CUTS TO PAY-AS-YOU-THROW RECYCLING PROGRAM. SUPPORT NELSON'S PETITION. PLEASE VOTE YES ON BUDGET PROPOSAL #2

Nancy/Ruth, over $500,000 is being budget for the landfill account. Currently $168,000 is placed in the account annually. How is the Budget Committee's Proposed Budget going to "cut" funding for the landfill. More TCC disinformation.

Jane Doe, please stop pretending that you care about the library (laughable) and the landfill (I doubt you even know where it is). All you and the TCC crowd care about is sticking it to the schools and winning the vote. This may be just a big game to you, but Nelson's budget will actually make things worse and hurt real people. Vote for the Budget Committee proposal #1.

Just another Taxpayer or should I call you Just another Redshirt. Stop shilling for the Budget Committee who is infested with 7 or 8 red shirts, led by the Head RedShirt, Mr. Cotta who is obsessed with trash talking the TCC and destroying the FTR. He is so preoccupied with such counterproductive activity that his budget completely leaves out the School Committee salaries but if you look at the Docket you will see proposed salaries for all other elected officials, Town Clerk, Town Council. Town Sargeant, Town Treasurer, Probate Judge. So why is Cotta showing favoritism and hiding the School Committees salaries from the taxpayers. What is their salary Just another Redshirt? 1,000, 5,000, $10,000. This stunt by the Budget Committee does not pass the smell test. Support the Nelson petition and restore funds for a new rescue vehicle for the Fire department. There are changes blowing in the wind Just another Redshirt and you still do not get it.

@Renee. Good for you. That is what a Democracy is all about. While I hope the Nelson proposal wins voter approval I wish you luck on May 15.

Just another Taxpayer. You are avoiding the factual statement I made that the Docket does not state the proposed salaries for the School Committee members. Stop with the diversionary drivel and if you dispute my assertion then tell me where I can find the proposed School Committee salaries in the docket. Either provide the page number or concede that I have defended my position with facts. Personally I don't think you have the class to apologize.

There you go again, Roger, putting forth inaccurate information to fit your argument. Look again at p. 4 of the 2011 docket. See Footnote #2 at the bottom? It clearly states that FY11 state education aid decreased. State law requires the local appropriation to cover the difference (yes, the same law upheld by the Commissioner, the Board of Regent and by the Supreme Court by denying a hearing - sorry, forgot to mention that this TCC led litigation effort was paid for with TAXPAYER funds). So FY11 local educational aid was $21,128,297 and the actual school budget increase from FY11 to FY12 was $784,379 or 3.74%.

Lest we forget, the $610,000 returned to the school district on 4/10/12 after the TCC lost its TAXPAYER funded litigation was approved by the Financial Town Meeting as part of the school budgets in FY10 and FY11. Roger, you don't get to count that money twice! We have been taxed already for those funds - these are not part of the FY 13 budget discussion at all!

My 17 year old attended the May 1st Financial Town Hearing. Later I asked her what would happen if she presented a paper in class in the same manner that David Nelson presented his budget proposal that night. She said she would clearly fail because no facts were presented to support the argument made. Roger, I haven't asked her about your letter but I think she would say the same.

Oh, and can your TCC pay back the town for the $80,000 in litigation fees it cost us for their legal battle?

If NASA hired engineers like Mr. Bennis who in turn produced such inaccurate data like this, it's no wonder they are no longer in business.