The General Motors’ Orion Assembly Plant sits in the shadow of a large landfill. But, the 4-million-square foot factory, which is home to the Chevrolet Sonic and the Buick Verano, uses that to its advantage. The plant derives a significant portion of its power from landfill gas.
DETROIT—GM is investing $24 million in electrical generation equipment that will allow the company to use more landfill gas at its assembly plants in Fort Wayne, IN, and Orion, MI. The new equipment will generate more than 14 megawatts of electricity from landfill gas, saving a combined $10 million in energy costs each year at the facilities.
Green manufacturing activity has remained steady over the past 12 months, buoyed by the rebounding economy. Manufacturers are engaged in a wide variety of sustainable initiatives, such as recycling, landfill gas and solar panels.
