Hoosier Energy adds renewable energy resource

ClarkFloydLMG1In August, Hoosier Energy announced plans to ­construct the Cabin Creek renewable energy ­project, a 4-megawatt landfill gas facility, at the Randolph Farms Landfill. The renewable energy plant will be the fourth landfill methane gas (LMG) facility for the electric power supply cooperative.

Cabin Creek is part of Hoosier Energy’s strategy of ­furthering its all-of-the-above, diversified power supply portfolio that includes coal, natural gas, renewable energy and energy ­efficiency. “This project is another example of our commitment to provide affordable, reliable and ­sustainable power to member ­systems,” said Steve Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hoosier Energy.

The 156-acre Randolph Farms Landfill is located near Modoc, Ind., with electric service provided by Whitewater Valley REMC, one of 18 ­distribution cooperatives in Indiana and Illinois that own Hoosier Energy.

Through the partnership with Randolph Farms, Hoosier Energy will capture landfill methane gas, which occurs naturally from decomposing waste, and use it to ­generate ­electricity. Landfill generation ­projects are instrumental in destroying ­methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Hoosier Energy owns and ­operates two other landfill gas facilities ­including the 4-megawatt Clark-Floyd landfill methane gas project in Clark County, Indiana, and the 15-megawatt Livingston landfill-gas-to-energy facility near Pontiac, Ill. A third plant, the 16-megawatt Orchard Hills landfill in Illinois, is scheduled to be in service in mid-2016. Other current ­renewable energy resources include a 13-megawatt coalbed methane ­facility and 54 megawatts of wind and hydropower generation. Installation of a 10-­megawatt solar program is also underway with ten 1-megawatt facilities scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2016.