The low-cost Niagara hydropower to Coal Ash Recycling (CAR) will support the company’s expansion in Fredonia.

CAR is an owner of landfill sites that hold fly ash, a key component in concrete manufacturing. The expansion project will be to remediate and process fly ash so that it may be used in the production of low-carbon green concrete. Fly ash is a byproduct of burning ground coal to generate electricity. CAR’s Chautauqua County landfill contains fly ash produced at the Dunkirk Generating Station in the 1960s through the 1980s.

The production of cement, a common ingredient in concrete, is responsible for nearly 8 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Substituting fly ash for cement in concrete production increases the life of concrete structures by improving its overall strength and durability. Additionally, it saves water and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

CAR’s application was considered under the Green Jobs Evaluation Incentive Plan approved by the trustees on December 9, 2020. The plan allows for the consideration of green jobs impacts when evaluating applications for NYPA hydropower. CAR’s project meets the qualifying criteria as a green jobs company in New York State. Additionally, the project supports the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and Low Embodied Carbon Concrete Leadership Act, which requires the use of low-carbon concrete on New York State funded projects.