Green Fuels Depot ribbon cutting Nov. 21

Innovative Technology Converts Yard Waste into Renewable Fuels

The City of Naperville is proud to partner with Congresswoman Judy Biggert, the U.S. Department of Energy, Packer Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory and the Naperville Development Partnership to emerge as a leader in alternative energy technologies through the Green Fuels Depot project. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the depot will take place at 2 p.m. on Monday, November 21 at 3712 Naperville/Plainfield Road. In addition to the Green Fuels Depot, the event will feature Navistar's eStar vehicle and a Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle.

This exciting demonstration project uses emerging alternative energy technologies to convert yard waste collected by the City into three fuels: electricity, hydrogen and ethanol. Electricity generated can be supplied to the City-owned utility's power grid, and ethanol produced can help operate Naperville's flex fuel fleet vehicles.

Located at the Springbrook Waste Facility near the intersection of 104th Street and Plainfield/Naperville Road, the depot's machine – called a gasifier – will use wood chips gathered from Naperville's spring 2011 brush collection as its source material to create the three fuels in an environmentally friendly and non-polluting manner. In past years, the City has paid to have some of this yard waste removed, and the Green Fuels Depot will help reduce this cost.

The Depot is located outdoors and the largest component is no bigger than a refrigerator case residents might see at a supermarket. This project will help create jobs and help local businesses, in addition to saving money and reducing greenhouse gases. Residents can expect to notice little or no odor from the Green Fuels Depot, with steam visible on cold days as the only thing noticeable to passersby.

For more information on the Green Fuels Depot, visit www.naperville.il.us/greenfuelsdepot.aspx. For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. Sign up to receive the latest news on the City of Naperville's projects and initiatives via e-mail at www.naperville.il.us/enews.aspx.