Warrenton, Virginia that was founded to meet two
objectives:
1) a growing demand for electricity produced from
environmentally-friendly, or green sources and
2) a growing need for market-based solutions to
global warming.
Our motto is simple: Waste not-want not.
With this simple motto in mind, we intend to meet
our objectives by developing projects that generate
electricity from renewable energy sources.
WHAT ARE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES?
When most consumers think of green energy
projects they think of solar or wind power. Another
source of environmentally-friendly energy, however,
is one in their own backyards - the local sanitary
landfill. Putting the energy currently wasted from
landfills to productive use is the ultimate act of
recycling. (More on this below!)
Commonwealth Green is in business to produce two
products - green electricity and certified greenhouse
gas emissions reduction credits. Both of these
products derive from Landfill-Gas-to-Energy (LFG)
projects. LFG projects are small-scale energy
projects producing anywhere from several hundred
kilowatts to 50 megawatts at the largest facilities.
Green Electricity: A natural by-product of placing
solid waste into sanitary landfills is the generation of
methane - a potent greenhouse gas. It is possible
to capture the methane and use it productively to
fuel electric generators. Electricity is currently
produced from landfill gas at about 200 of the
country's largest landfill sites.
Electricity generated from landfill gas is considered a
"green" product since it generally replaces other
forms of less desirable generation, such as coal, oil,
or nuclear, and it prevents the emission of methane
into the atmosphere.
Certified Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction
Credits or CO2 Credits: The primary greenhouse
gas and the source of worldwide concern over global
warming is carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane is a
carbon-equivalent gas. Studies estimate methane
to be at least 21 times more potent than carbon
dioxide as a greenhouse gas and estimate it
contributes 18% of all global warming emissions.
The capture of methane through LFG projects allows
a company to register a "credit" for reducing
emissions of this potent gas. A market is currently
developing which places a value on certified
greenhouse gas reduction credits and allows for the
sale and trade of those credits to other companies
who may need to meet government-mandated
standards for pollution reduction, particularly of
carbon dioxide.
Renewable Energy
Power Plant Development
Environmental law
Regulatory law
Municipal law
Public Affairs
Green Power Network
Edison Electric Institute
EPA
Piedmont Environmental Council
