Along with the wind and solar energy projects in American Samoa, for which ground was broken this week, landfill waste will also be turned into energy.
File photo. Photo: Creative Commons
The American Samoa Power Authority said a $US31 million project at the landfill would use all the waste, except for cement and metal, to produce electricity.
The authority's acting executive director, Wallon Young, said only a small amount of electricity would be generated, but the real benefit would be protecting the environment.
Meanwhile, two new renewable energy projects worth nearly $US150m have been officially launched in American Samoa.
One is a solar photovoltaic farm to be built near the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tafuna, and the other is a wind energy project in Aasu village.
The contractor for the solar project, which has a price tag of $US43m, is Canadian Solar/Recurrent Energy.
It will generate 20 megawatts of electricity.
The wind farm, being built by Green Global Solutions, is worth $US100m and will produce 42 megawatts.