ASU asks permission to apply for energy grant

Albany State University officials are asking the county for permission to apply for up to $7 million in federal funding to create a renewable energy system in Albany in concert with MCLB-Albany.

The proposal would piggy-back on the county’s existing landfill-to-gas program which captures unused methane at the Dougherty County Landfill and pumps it to MCLB to use as an energy source.

The proposal includes adding a solar energy component, a biomass conversion process and an algae reactor to create biodiesel.

ASU wants to ask the Department of Energy for $5 million to $7 million in green energy grants for the project, which, if accepted, would allow them to do research on the energy processes.