NEW CASTLE, DE – Delaware Governor Jack A. Markell, DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara and Croda Inc. President Kevin Gallagher broke ground June 7, 2012, on construction of a $6 million landfill-gas-to-energy project at the Croda Atlas Point chemical manufacturing plant in New Castle, DE.

The renewable energy endeavor will use landfill gas from the nearby Cherry Island Landfill as fuel to operate Croda’s Atlas Point chemical manufacturing plant. The reclaimed landfill gas will provide the plant with enough renewable energy to power 55 percent of the plant’s operations. In total, this innovative effort will allow Croda to use renewable energy equivalent to powering 3,500 homes. The venture also will shrink the facility’s carbon footprint, reducing its annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 33,000 passenger cars from the road.

“This project saves energy costs for a company that has chosen to locate here while putting more people to work,” Governor Markell said. “We applaud Croda’s investment in Delaware, both environmentally and economically.”

Croda is investing $5.5 million in this renewable energy plan as part of its commitment to innovation in sustainable energy. The company also received a $500,000 grant from the Delaware Energy Efficiency Investment Fund (EEIF) Program, administered through DNREC’s Division of Energy and Climate.

The project is expected to be completed by September 2012. Cummins Power Generation, in partnership with Casella Waste Systems, will deliver the landfill gas via a pipeline from Cherry Island Landfill to Croda at Atlas Point. Cummins Power Generation is furnishing a combined heat and power generation system. Prior to this project, Cherry Island eliminated its waste gas by flaring.