Cherry Island Renewable Energy System

What was the Challenge?

To utilize available landfill gas (LFG) at the Cherry Island Landfill, owner Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) partnered with Cummins Power Generation on two beneficial use projects. The first was an LFG H2S pretreatment system with a 4-mile pipeline to provide LFG to an industrial facility for use in two 1MW combined heat and power (CHP) systems and to offset existing fuel in one of their boilers.  The pipeline crossed multiple properties: The Christiana River, wetlands, drainage canals, I-295, and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. In addition, the pipeline required route optimization analysis, pipeline design, permitting, right-of-way negotiations, and construction oversight.
The second project involved retrofitting an abandoned LFG pipeline to the City of Wilmington’s Wastewater Treatment Plant next door to the landfill and blending LFG with digester gas to fuel two 2MW CHP gensets and a hot oil sludge dryer. The project included a digester gas pretreatment system to remove H2S and siloxanes from the gas stream.

How did Barton & Loguidice provide a solution?

B&L designed the pipeline and coordinated the analysis and design of the gas pretreatment systems. Additionally, B&L provided construction management, inspection services, and facility operations assistance.

Why was the project a success?

The LFG generated at the Cherry Island Landfill now provides alternative renewable energy to two locations and has a pipeline network that will allow future connections access to the existing system in order to ensure a long-term beneficial use solution.