Dry Creek is the first landfill in Southern Oregon to go "green". Their new landfill-gas-to-energy project went on-line in May 2007, powered by two CAT G3520 engines. It was also the first customer in Peterson territory to buy Caterpillar’s newest G3520 engines. Parent company, Rogue Disposal & Recycling, had been wanting to convert the ten year-old site to green power for years but it had to reach a certain threshold of gas production first. In 2006, they reached their goal. The new alternative energy system will collect methane gas through existing perforated pipes buried deep within the landfill, and draw it into a central collection point to power the new engines. The G3520s in turn, will generate electricity that will feed into the local utility’s (PacifiCorp) grid system at a rate of 1.6 megawatts each. The two CAT G3520’s will burn 1,040 cubic-feet of landfill gas per minute, producing continual power for roughly 3,000 homes. “With this new system, we’re using energy that was just being wasted before,” states Lee Fortier, Dry Creek’s General Manager and civil engineer who spearheaded the project. “It is by far, one of the most positive environmental landfill projects around.”

In November 2006, Peterson flew representatives from both Dry Creek Landfill and another interested customer, Coffin Butte power plant, to Victoria, British Columbia to visit a (Finning/CAT) field-follow unit installation. That trip tipped them both in favor of the new G3520s. “We felt it was important to try to convince them to go with the G3520 over the G3516s,” states Hopkins. “Dry Creek’s management was pretty set on CAT engines because of the relationship they already had with Peterson, and Caterpillar equipment. But they wanted to use G3516 engines because they’ve been used in landfills for 15-20 years now.  We felt we owed it to them to try to get them into the newest technology. And, fortunately, we were able to do that.”

Peterson chartered a 12-seater plane for the trip to Canada since Peterson’s own plane became unavailable the day of departure. "The customers were impressed that we took the time and expense to show them what we believed was their best option,” states Hopkins. “They saw how much we believed in it, and the lengths we would go to show them. And, there’s nothing like seeing it in person. They were able to talk to the technician who had been working on the G3520, and hear about its performance history themselves. That was huge.”

"This is the first time in Peterson's history that we've sold

prime power engines that run 24/7. It's far different from

the standby power we've built our reputation upon."

- Eric Martin, Executive V.P. & Gen. Mgr.  -  Peterson Power Systems

The improved emissions and efficient technology of the G3520 won over both landfill customers. Dry Creek is a brand new installation with two units. Coffin-Butte is a 10-year old installation that is upgrading and adding two units to its power plant. “We’re in a non-attainment zone [zero pollution tolerance] so we have to be very careful about emissions,” explains Fortier, who started his career in the 70’s as an environmental engineer for the EPA in Seattle. The G3520 puts out significantly less NOx and at the same time, nearly doubles the output. That was a big part of their decision, according to Fortier.

Peterson actively worked with the engineers bidding on this project, even flying to San Diego and Los Angeles to make formal presentations.  In the end, Peterson’s pro-active sales effort and command of the facts, won out. “Steve Cushman [Power’s Chief Engineer] has been a huge asset for us,” states Hopkins, “ … beyond huge. One of the vice presidents of SCS Energy (bid-winner) commented that he had learned more things from Steve, and worked out equipment issues that they had not been able to get from any other CAT dealer they’ve worked with.”

Dry Creek’s landfill gas-to-energy project represents new ground for Peterson Machinery Co. who has focused primarily on earthmoving sales and support even going back to the former dealer (Pape Bros.) in the area.. In the end, the Dry Creek job happened because of a long-term tractor relationship that got transferred over to the power side through teamwork. That Peterson got to be a part of an environmentally progressive project is just more icing on the cake.

Related Stories:  
Peterson Power Green Business
Peterson Power & Machinery Team up with Coffin Butte

< Back to Waste Industry

New CAT G3520 engines will help
process waste gases into electricity

L-R: Jeff Goggin (PMCo Pres), Marty Hopkins
(PMCo eng. salesman), and
Jim Clark (PMCo tractor salesman) at Dry Creek

Dry Creek management had this facility built
to house the 2 new giant Cat engines

Landfill’s new “green” system turns
garbage “biogas” into electricity