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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Salisbury University Makes Commitment To Renewable Energy

Salisbury, MD---Turning trash into electricity is not new. In fact, Ingenco, a renewable energy company operating throughout the mid-Atlantic, has been doing it for more than 20 years.

Recently Ingenco partnered with Collegiate Clean Energy to provide 100 percent renewable energy to colleges and universities in Maryland and Virginia. In support of this partnership, Wicomico County has an agreement with Ingenco to use methane gas from the Newland Park Landfill in Salisbury to produce renewable energy. One of the users of this facility is Salisbury University, which disposes of its non-recyclable at the Newland Park Landfill. In an effort to offset the carbon emission from the decomposition of this trash, the University has committed to purchase 8,000 renewable energy credits (RECs) produced at the landfill in 2013. The estimated landfill gas being destroyed to produce 8,000 RECs is the environmental equivalent of the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 7,552 passenger vehicles, the carbon dioxide emissions from burning 210 railcars of coal or the energy benefit of powering 539 homes.

As highlighted by Wayne Shelton, director of sustainability and environmental safety at Salisbury University, “Using landfill gas to make renewable electricity is a great sustainability process. Landfills naturally produce greenhouse gases which, if not destroyed, migrate into the atmosphere and are 21 times as destructive as carbon dioxide. Instead, by producing renewable electricity, we are greatly lessening the negative effects on the environment and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.” Salisbury University also has used the generation facilities at the landfill as an educational tool for students studying environmental science.

Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt confirmed the county’s commitment to good environmental stewardship. “Wicomico County is pleased to work with Salisbury University, Ingenco and Collegiate Clean Energy to support a project that produces renewable electricity while eliminating greenhouse gases. Wicomico County is an established leader in promoting sustainable communities and we applaud Salisbury University for their foresight and commitment to building a healthier environment.”

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok, should what is the cost for this renewable energy to the taxpayer? Are there Gov grants to this? If pollick rick is involved, there is a different kind of green in play..

Gary said...

Of course the University is....it's a state funded college and O'Malley holds the purse strings....and of course the tax payers will get soaked by him and Pollitt

Anonymous said...

notice they are not buying energy, they are buying energy credits for someone supposedly destroying methane gas which supposedly is coming from the landfill. there is no energy being produced here

Anonymous said...

How much money are they going to lose once they have to give reduced tuition rates to illegals and deny the people from out of state a spot.

Anonymous said...

Energy credits, carbon credits one of the biggest bunch of crap that has recently been created. To give you an example: it would be like someone coming to your house eating all your food, and then to make up for it they purchase food for a homeless shelter down the street. How in the hell is that supposed to help you. Another example of government stupidity.

Anonymous said...

Wait, I dump all my trash at the Newland Park (such a pretty park) landfill, too. Where are my energy credits?Can I spend them on my electric bill? I want my check!