Toyota, Waste Services of the Bluegrass Partner on Landfill Gas to Energy

Toyota and Waste Services of the Bluegrass are partnering on a landfill gas-to-energy operation to supply power to the auto maker’s manufacturing facility in Georgetown, Ky.

Construction will begin this month and be completed by early 2015, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. said in a news release.

Once the system is running it will generate one megawatt of electricity per hour. Toyota estimates the landfill gas will supply enough power annually for the production of 10,000 vehicles.

Underground transmission lines at the facility will carry electricity to the Toyota Georgetown manufacturing plant, located a few miles south of the landfill. The plant manufactures two hybrid models and has been a zero waste to landfill facility since 2006.

The venture is the region’s first business-to-business landfill gas-to-energy initiative.

“As a corporate citizen of central Kentucky, we are committed to smarter and better ways of doing business to enhance our community and environment,” said Todd Skaggs, CEO of Lexington, Ky.-based Waste Services of the Bluegrass. “We look forward to being a partner in Toyota’s sustainability efforts.”