Repurposing waste into energy
Climate affecting Lincoln
Landfills create gasses, mostly carbon dioxide and methane. If landfills are left unattended it can cause unwanted consequences. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is 28 to 36 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change. Untended landfills can explode due to trapped gasses and addition of oxygen into the landfill can create fires.
The federal government has enacted laws requiring landfill facilities to lower their environmental impact. Gasses from the landfill are filtered and burned up. Other facilities, such as Bluff Road landfill near Lincoln, burn methane to produce energy. Bluff Road Landfill has been opened since 1988, collecting about 850 tons of waste every day and is expected to continue to collect trash until 2033.
Landfill gasses are considered a renewable energy source, which means Lincoln is able to acquire some federal credit from it. Unfortunately, the energy produced and the federal credit are not enough to make the plant profitable. The cost of maintenance, repairs, salaries, debts, waste management, filtration of gasses and rainwater that enters the landfill, adds to the challenge of trying to make the facility profitable. The current plan is to have a contractor increase revenue, lower escaping greenhouse gasses by the end of the year and have the improvements implemented within 24 months from the start of the project.
Landfill gas management is one of the many ways Lincoln is striving for a greener future. Gaylor Baird, the mayor of Lincoln since 2019, has set out a plan to reduce gas emissions by 80%. One way of achieving the goal is by converting the entire city and transit fleet to renewable, electric and alternative fuel by 2040. With the introduction of electric shuttles, Lincoln is assessing the feasibility of transportation between college campuses and the community as a whole.
The climate is changing and Lincoln will be facing drastic changes in its weather by 2050. Lincoln is predicted to have 44 days over 100 degrees and 26 days over 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, an additional 10% to 16% more precipitation is expected during the winter and spring months, while getting a decrease of 4% precipitation during the summer. This will inevitably lead to more flooding during the spring and more fires or droughts in the summer.
https://apnews.com/general-news-ae9ef4f8df2a487ca5b4a218aea01b8b
by Stuart Cuateco