Renewable energy facility celebrates year in production

US-based renewable energy company Ameresco has completed its first operational year at its renewable energy fuelled cogeneration facility at its Savannah River site (SRS).

The facility came online in conjunction with the US Department of Energy’s (DoE) single largest renewable Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), awarded to Ameresco in 2009 to finance, design, construct, operate, maintain and fuel the 34-acre renewable energy facility over the term of the 20-year contract.

ESPCs are contracts in which private companies finance, install, and maintain new energy- and water-efficient equipment in federal facilities.

The facility operated without interruption in its first year and generated a total of 1.67 billion pounds of steam and 97,000MW of electricity. It processed more than 10,000 tonnes of tyres and 221,000 tonnes of clean biomass, consisting of local forest residue and wood chips.

 ‘The facility supports the DoE’s energy efficiency and sustainability goals and, with the success of this facility, it shows SRS is working to meet national challenges in strategic areas such as sustainability and clean energy,’ says SRS manager David Moody.