Overview
Ameresco Chicopee Energy is a 7.8 MW biomass power plant in Chicopee, Massachusetts, USA. It converts waste into electricity, supporting local renewable energy goals.
Ameresco Chicopee Energy is a biomass power plant located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States. With a capacity of 7.8 MW, it is a small-scale facility within the US power generation sector, contributing to the region's renewable energy portfolio. The plant operates using waste as its primary fuel, a common practice in biomass power generation. It falls under the regulatory oversight of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which enforces emissions standards under the Clean Air Act, including New Source Performance Standards for biomass facilities. The plant's technology is typical for small biomass units, often using combustion or gasification to generate electricity. As a waste-to-energy facility, Ameresco Chicopee Energy plays a role in reducing landfill waste while providing clean electricity to the local grid. Its location in an industrial area of Chicopee supports community energy needs and aligns with Massachusetts' renewable energy targets.
Environmental context
The plant's use of waste as fuel reduces methane emissions from landfills and displaces fossil fuel-based power. However, biomass combustion releases CO2, SOx, and NOx, though emissions are regulated under the Clean Air Act. Its small capacity and location in a mixed industrial-residential area moderate local air quality impacts.
Frequently asked questions
Ameresco Chicopee Energy is located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States, at coordinates 42.1626, -72.5367.
It is a biomass power plant that uses waste as its primary fuel to generate electricity, with a capacity of 7.8 MW.
The plant is owned by AMERESCO Chicopee Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Ameresco, an energy efficiency and renewable energy company.
As a US facility, it must comply with the Clean Air Act, including New Source Performance Standards for biomass combustion, and state-level emissions limits in Massachusetts.
The plant supplies up to 7.8 MW of renewable electricity to the local grid, helping to meet regional energy demand and support Massachusetts' renewable portfolio standards.