Landfill Gas Use by General Motors Highlighted in Television Program - VIDEO ENHANCED STORY

Two video clips that explain the program further. CLICK HERE for clip #1, and CLICK HERE for clip #2.

Detroit, MI - April 4, 2006: General Motors, the largest direct, corporate user of landfill gas in the United States, is being featured this spring on two television programs airing on public and cable television stations throughout the United States and on Voice of America programming internationally. Both programs look at how rotting garbage in landfills generates a gas that is used as an energy source at seven GM facilities.

The “Learning About” educational series is hosted by actor Michael Douglas and will air during March. Later in the spring, GM will be featured on “The Global Learning Series” education program.

“At General Motors, protecting the environment is a very important part of our business strategy,” says Beth Lowery, GM vice president, Environment and Energy. “The decision to use landfill gas is a win-win situation. It is good for the environment and also is a good business decision.”

If unused, landfill gas is a waste product that is released at the landfill, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. At General Motors facilities, the landfill gas is piped to the plant and combusted in boilers, providing a cost-effective, renewable energy source.

“Renewable energy sources represent a significant portion of GM’s energy use,” says Lowery. “In fact, we are one of the leading users of renewable energy in the manufacturing sector in North America. Using renewable resources reduces our reliance on fossil fuels like coal and oil.”

General Motors has reduced its natural gas consumption by 21 percent since 2000 and is expected to achieve its goal of a 25 percent energy reduction by the end of 2006. The sum of landfill gas capacity at the seven GM operations using the fuel is equivalent to the energy needed to heat over 25,000 households, which represents about 1.6 trillion BTUs per year.

GM’s Orion Township, Michigan, assembly plant is highlighted in the “Learning About” and “The Global Learning Series” television programs. Other GM facilities using landfill gas are: assembly plants located in Oklahoma City, Okla. ; Fort Wayne, Ind. ; Shreveport, La. ; and a powertrain plant located in Toledo, Ohio. Two additional warehouse sites in Grand Blanc and Flint, Mich., utilize landfill gas by purchasing 13 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which is generated from a landfill gas-to-electricity program.