General Motors, Covanta, Keurig Green Mountain and Sierra Nevada to discuss achievements in waste conversion at November event.
The second annual Renewable Energy from Waste Conference, Nov. 17-20 in San Jose, California, brings together the most relevant companies from the private sector that are making strides in waste conversion. These leaders in sustainability are incorporating technologies into their operations that are reducing waste going to landfills while offsetting the use of fossil fuels.
During the session, “Corporate Achievements in Waste Conversion,” attendees will hear how waste-to-energy (WTE) is part of Detroit-based General Motor’s strategy to reduce waste and produce energy from renewable sources. The company’s goal is to produce 125 megawatts of renewable electricity by 2020. Through initiatives involving waste-to-energy and landfill gas projects, the company is well on its way toward achieving that goal. Attendees will hear from Rob Threlkeld, GM global manager of renewable energy and John Bradburn, GM manager of waste reduction efforts for an overview of all the company has accomplished.
Also speaking as part of the panel is Mandi McKay, sustainability coordinator, Sierra Nevada, Chico, California. She will discuss how the craft brewery is offsetting the use of natural gas by producing energy from a waste byproduct produced from the brewing process. The system has been operating successfully for several years, producing heat for the brewing process.
Michael Van Brunt, director of sustainability for Morristown, New Jersey-based Covanta, and Christina Bosch Ladd, senior sustainability manager, Keurig Green Mountain, Waterbury, Vermont, will give a joint presentation during the session on the partnership the two companies have formed to compost and anaerobically digest coffee grounds from K-cups while using the K-cups as a fuel source in Covanta’s WTE plants.
Moderated by Renewable Energy from Waste magazine Managing Editor Kristin Smith, this session brings the best examples the private sector has to offer in the way of sustainable strategies that incorporate energy from waste.
More information about the conference is available at www.REWConference.com.
