Trade Resources Company News Toyota’s US Plant to Tap Methane for Vehicle Production

Toyota’s US Plant to Tap Methane for Vehicle Production

Toyota has pledged to eliminate CO2 emissions from its factories, and in an attempt to do so the company said that it will begin generating electricity from methane for its Georgetown plant in the US.

Toyota’s US Plant to Tap Methane for Vehicle Production

Methane for the Georgetown plant will be produced through the byproduct of trash decomposition at the nearby Central Kentucky Landfill.

The automakers Georgetown manufacturing plant joined forces with the Central Kentucky Landfill, which is owned and operated by Waste Services of the Bluegrass.

Landfills are important to monitor methane levels that have to be reported to the EPA.

According to Toyota, the process of capturing and burning the methane has been determined by the EPA to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Toyota environmental strategies manager Dave Absher said: "We will generate one megawatt (1 million watts) per hour at the site.

"That's enough annual energy generation to produce approximately 10,000 vehicles. The system can eventually be scaled up to 10 megawatts per hour."

The company is working hard towards materializing its goals to eliminate CO2 emissions from its production by 2050.

The company also opened up Mirai, its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle's patent to other automakers in order to promote manufacturing technologies that use hydrogen as a power source.

Absher added: "This project was a true collaboration between the two companies."

"There was also a tremendous amount of support from the local community, public utilities and elected officials to get the project off the ground."

Image: Landfill gas generator. Photo: courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales.

Source: http://greenpowertrain.automotive-business-review.com/news/toyotas-us-plant-to-tap-methane-for-vehicle-production-171115-4729553
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