Duke Energy awards BMW Manufacturing the 2012 Power Partner Award. From the left are Gayle Lanier, senior vice president and Chief Customer Officer, Duke Energy; Josef Kerscher, President, BMW Manufacturing Co, Greer; Ursula Mathar, Head of Sustainability and Environmental Protection, BMW Group; and Duncan Seaman, Manager, Market Operations USA and Canada, BMW Group.
BMW has been using methane gas generated at a landfill located near the plant site to efficiently cogenerate electrical power and hot water. Methane gas is captured and converted to energy providing nearly 50 percent of the plant’s total energy needs. The landfill gas-to-energy project has saved BMW an annual average of $7 million in energy costs, the company reports.
In 2010, BMW began using hydrogen to power its fuel cell material handling fleet. The fleet has grown to more than 230 pieces, making BMW one of the largest hydrogen fuel cell material handling fleets in the world. The company is exploring options to use landfill gas to produce hydrogen.
Installation of 400 solar modules in 2010, each capable of producing 240 watts of energy, provides power to the Zentrum Museum making the facility carbon neutral. In addition, the solar panels provide energy to three electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. In 2012, the plant, with the exception of one regulated waste stream, claims a Zero Waste-to-Landfill status.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently named the plant the second largest Green Power Partner. Green Power rankings recognize U.S. businesses and communities that are making investments in on-site power generation. The Greer plant produces 38 percent of its electrical requirements on-site, mostly from its landfill gas-to-energy program.