Green power is electricity generated by using a renewable resource, such as solar, wind, and even decomposing garbage in landfills. Blachly-Lane Electric Co-op is one of a dozen electric cooperatives who joined forces to build Coffin Butte Resource Project, a Green Power generation facility near Corvallis, Oregon.
How It Works
Biomass in the landfill creates methane gas as it decomposes, and that gas is used to fuel large Caterpillar engines that drive generators producing over 5 megawatts of electricity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The electricity — which serves approximately 4,000 homes — is equal to that created with 24,000 tons of coal each year. Obviously, methane gas is much more friendly to the environment than coal, and burning the gas keeps it from adding noxious emissions into the atmosphere.
Help Support the Expansion Project
The Coffin Butte generating plant will continue expanding and here is your opportunity to help support this expansion. Blachly-Lane helps fund current operations, but the cost of generating this type of clean power is slightly higher than market costs. Blachly-Lane members have the opportunity to subscribe to a fixed number of kilowatt-hours, in blocks of 100 or 1000, at a monthly cost of $2.00 per 100 kWh, or $15.00 per 1000kWh. In addition to your normal monthly electricity bill, you will see a separate line item charge for “Green Power” on your statement. How much is strictly up to you as it depends on how many blocks of 100 or 1000 kWh you wish to support. If you are not currently a green power supporter, here is an opportunity to sign up and help support Blachly-Lane’s investment in the Coffin Butte expansion.