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Santa Cruz Energy1.6 MW Waste

Waste

Santa Cruz Energy is a 1.6 MW waste power plant in the United States, operated by Santa Cruz Energy LLC since 2009. Ranked #499 of 541 waste plants in the United States. Its 1.6 MW represents 0.02% of the United States' total waste capacity of 9,769 MW. The largest waste plant in the United States is the Covington Facility at 161 MW, making Santa Cruz Energy 100 times smaller. Nearby plants within 50 km include Dynegy Moss Landing Power Plant Hybrid (1398 MW, Gas), Metcalf Energy Center (635 MW, Gas), and Donald Von Raesfeld Power Plant (154 MW, Gas). The facility is located in California, approximately 30 km from the nearest major city, San Jose.

Capacity
1.6 MW
Commissioning Year
2009

17 years old

Owner
Santa Cruz Energy LLC
Location
36.9733°, -122.1056°

United States of America, North America

Location

Coordinates:: 36.973300, -122.105600
Open in Google Maps
Carbon Footprint330 g CO₂/kWh
Annual CO₂
3.2 Kt
10 GWh/year × 330 g/kWh
Cumulative CO₂
55.0 Kt
Over 17 years of operation
Est. Retirement
2034
8 years remaining
Annual emissions equivalent to
704
cars per year
432
homes per year
147.2K
trees to offset

Estimates based on Waste emission factor (330 g CO₂/kWh) and capacity factor (70%). Actual emissions may vary based on operating conditions, efficiency, and fuel quality.

Technical Details

Primary Fuel Type
Waste
Energy Source
Non-Renewable
Country
United States of America
Continent
North America
Data Source
Global Power Plant Database

United States of AmericaEnergy Profile

10,047
Total Plants
1386.4 GW
Total Capacity
GasCoalNuclearHydro
Top Fuels

Waste as a Power Generation Energy Source: An Overview

Waste power generation, also known as waste-to-energy (WtE), is an innovative approach that transforms municipal solid waste into electricity and heat through various technological processes. As of now, there are approximately 1,068 waste power plants operating across 18 countries, boasting a total installed capacity of around 14.7 gigawatts (GW). The United States leads the way with 541 plants generating 9.8 GW, followed by the United Kingdom with 329 plants at 1.9 GW, and Germany with 66 plants producing 1.6 GW. Other notable contributors include Spain and Belgium, with 15 and 8 plants respectively, though their capacities are comparatively lower.

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