Longtime Capstone distributor IBT Group, headquartered in Treviso, Italy, has sold five CR65 microturbines to CEM Ambiente SpA, a solid-waste management company serving more than 400,000 residents surrounding Milan. IBT is installing the five methane-fueled microturbines this week at the CEM Ambiente SpA landfill outside of Cavenago Brianza, located 30 kilometers east of Milan.

“Since 2004, IBT has been one of Capstone’s leading distributors in Europe,” said Jim Crouse, Capstone’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The company’s work with CEM is the latest in a long line of innovative IBT projects, and the first involving a landfill in Italy. IBT continue to be one of Capstone’s most forward-thinking and ambitious distributors.”

The landfill, which closed in the early 1990s, will use the ultra low-emission microturbines in a combined heat and power (CHP) application. In addition to producing 325 kilowatts of electricity (7,800 kilowatt-hours per day) for landfill buildings, excess heat energy produced from the microturbines will provide heat for the buildings and an onsite greenhouse, and for landfill leaching treatment.

The Capstone microturbines will run on waste-methane gas produced at the landfill. Today, many landfills, wastewater treatment plants and agricultural operations flare waste methane gas into the atmosphere, which increases greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Capstone microturbines are an ideal solution because they use the biogas to produce reliable, clean renewable energy onsite.

“The microturbines replace a noisy, pollution-generating reciprocating engine that was installed in 1999,” said llario Vigani, CEO & President, IBT Group. “CEM is an environmentally focused company. The microturbines are estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3,900 tons each year, and can operate on the smaller concentrations of methane in the closed landfill.”

In addition, Vigani noted that Capstone microturbines are extremely low maintenance since they have only one moving part and do not need any oil, other lubricants, coolants or hazardous materials to operate.

“This first-ever installation of Capstone microturbines in an Italian landfill will serve as a model for Italy,” Vigani said. “At the site, IBT will showcase innovative ways the landfill uses waste biogas in an environmentally conscientious way to produce electricity and thermal energy. The overall efficiency of the cogeneration system is expected to exceed 80 percent. ”

Since 2004, IBT has played a key role in several prominent Capstone Turbine projects in Italy, and the company expects to grow 30 percent in 2010.  One high-profile project involved the large wastewater treatment plant in Cossato, Italy. For the project, IBT sold and oversaw installation of a CR200 Capstone turbine that produces 1.7 million kW-hours (kWh) yearly to supply the plant’s electrical power needs. Fuel for the CR200 comes from the 2,600 cubic meters of biogas that earlier had been burned away as waste. An external heat exchanger installed with the turbine delivers another 2.3 million kWh of thermal energy to warm the digesters. Together, the combined heat and power produced will cut carbon dioxide emissions at the plant by 1.8 tons per year.

“IBT continues to play a key role in energy projects in Italy and Greece,” said Darren Jamison, Capstone President and Chief Executive Officer. “IBT is a progressive Capstone distributor always exploring ways to incorporate our cutting-edge technology in applications that reduce energy costs, increase reliability and are environmentally friendly. Capstone’s recent acquisition of the TA100 microturbine product line from Calnetix Power Solutions means IBT will have even more Capstone products to offer its customers.”