BOONE-Appalachian State University Energy Center’s CommunityTIES (Trash Into Energy Savings) Project has received $134,673 in grants from the Golden LEAF Foundation and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation to continue supporting local efforts to use landfill gas as an asset for job creation.

The CommunityTIES Project works with counties statewide evaluating the energy potential of the local landfill, identifying ways for landfill gas to support local economic development priorities, and providing assistance with project funding and development.

This year, the project received a grant of nearly $80,000 from the Golden LEAF Foundation and $55,000 from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

The EnergyXchange campus uses fuel produced by the Yancey-Mitchell County landfill to support entrepreneurship in traditional industries, provide hands-on horticulture training to high school students in three counties, protect wild-growing native plant species, and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Gas collected from the landfill is provided free to resident artisans participating in the business incubator program operated by local community colleges. With steam produced by landfill gas-fueled boilers, native plant species are propagated year-round by apprentices from local high schools.

Appalachian State Liz Sparks throws a vase that will be fired in a kiln fueled by gas from the Yancey-Mitchell County landfill. Providing free energy to entrepreneur artisans as part of its business incubator program is just one of several ways the EnergyXchange project uses landfill gas to drive economic development in Western North Carolina. By offering horticulture apprenticeships to high school and community college students in nearby counties, the project propagates native plants whose wild-growing populations are threatened by harvesting.

“We are honored that two of North Carolina’s leading foundations have seen fit to continue our work on these landfills. There are real economic opportunities in utilizing the landfill gas for local economic development projects. These communities have really come together to brainstorm on the best local application of the inexpensive energy available for very creative projects,” said Energy Center Director Dennis Grady.

During the past two years, nearly $800,000 in grant funding has been awarded to the project’s eight local partner groups for landfill-gas-to-energy project development. The project’s tailored approach is designed to meet local needs and has resulted in a variety of potential uses, including manufacturing, agriculture and education.

“The large variety of end uses is what makes landfill gas such as valuable asset for economic development,” said CommunityTIES Project Director Stan Steury. “The eight counties are working on projects with ethanol, lumber mills, sweet potatoes, greenhouses, electricity and other traditional industries.”

With one county project ready to begin construction, one in contract negotiations, and another awaiting the results of extensive engineering tests conducted in December 2007, the previous two years are yielding results. During the upcoming year, part-time staff will be hired to support several local projects.

The methane gas created by waste decomposing in a landfill is similar to natural gas and can be used to reduce demand for fossil fuels. Using landfill gas as an energy resource not only increases energy security and local economic competitiveness, it also provides environmental benefits by reducing emissions of harmful pollutants, including greenhouse gases.

The eight counties have more than 11 million tons of waste in their landfills generating an estimated 4,200 cubic feet per minute of energy-rich landfill gas. During 2008, these landfills will produce energy equivalent to more than $6 million worth of natural gas. In addition to its energy content, these landfills emit greenhouse gases equal to almost 450,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Burning the landfill gas as a fuel prevents more than $1 million per year in greenhouse gas emissions at the current U.S. market price.

Appalachian’s Energy Center was established in 2001 to conduct energy research and applied program activities in a multi-disciplinary environment. With faculty, staff and student support from technology, political science, economics, physics, and other departments, the Energy Center has programs in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy technology, biofuels, policy analysis, forecasting, and economic development.

The Golden LEAF Foundation was created in 1999 to administer one-half of North Carolina’s share of the master settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers. The foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to advancing the economic well being of North Carolinians and to transforming their economy. It works in partnership with local governments, educational institutions, economic development organizations, and other public agencies and nonprofits to affect positive change.

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation was established in 1936 as a memorial to the youngest son of the founder of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The foundation actively seeks to promote access, equity, and inclusiveness; and to discourage discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status, and other factors that deny the essential humanity of all people. The foundation has the conviction that inclusiveness benefits everyone and is not only compatible with, but also promotes, excellence.

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