|
| News and products for the motorcycle enthusiast and professional |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
ENERGY PARTNER OF THE YEAR BMW Plant Spartanburg BMW Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina, USA, has been proclaimed the Energy Partner of the Year by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In May 2006 the plant converted the supply of energy at the paint shop to methane gas. This saves about 60,000 tons of CO2 a year, equal to the annual heat energy consumption of some 15,000 US households. At the same time the plant''s annual energy costs will be cut by a six-digit Euro figure. The coveted award was presented to BMW Manufacturing Co. and the plant''s partner, Dürr Systems, which delivered the process technology for the paint shop, on 24 January 2007. Through the award, the Environmental Protection Agency specifically honours one of the most ambitious landfill gas projects in North America. The gas for BMW Plant Spartanburg is generated by the biological conversion of waste materials at the Palmetto Landfill Site 15 kilometres from the plant. From there methane gas goes through a pipeline directly to the turbines on the BMW plant premises, where it is then used in particular to generate electric power and warm water for the paint shop. ''This is a very positive project that pays off for all parties involved. It allows us to use a source of energy previously untapped, capitalising on this supply of energy for generating electricity and heat at our plant. This enables us to reduce emissions enormously and make a significant contribution to the cause of environmental protection'', states Briggs Hamilton, the Environmental Spokesman for BMW Plant Spartanburg. In all, 63 per cent of the energy consumed by the plant is now covered by methane gas. Methane gas from the landfill was used to supply energy to the plant for the first time in 2002. With the results of this pilot application being convincing and satisfactory, this initial test set the foundation for the 100 per cent supply of gas energy to the paint shop now becoming reality. The Energy Partner of the Year award is presented each year as part of the EPA''s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP). This program promotes the partnership of communities and companies seeking to capitalise on the use of landfill gases for the generation of energy.
|
|
| Biker247.com is an Internet publication brought to you by The 247 Network - Visit our other sites at www.the247network.com. |
| The entire content included in this website, including but not limited to text, design, graphics, interfaces, or code and the selection and arrangements thereof is copyrighted as a collective work under the UK and other copyright laws and is the property of The 247 Network. |