Covanta Stanislaus Energy — United States of America
Waste power plant in California, United States of America. Approximate location 37.3853, -121.141.
WasteCaliforniaUnited States of AmericaCO₂ modelled
Covanta Stanislaus Energy is a 24 MW waste power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by Covanta Stanislaus Inc. Based on reported annual generation of 147 GWh, it can supply roughly 42k homes. It ranks #4467 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1988, it is around 38 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 182,870 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 43k cars driven for a year. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0050632.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 24 MW, Covanta Stanislaus Energy is well above the median waste plant in United States of America (6.6 MW). Waste-to-energy plants burn municipal solid waste to generate electricity and heat, cutting landfill volume while recovering energy from residual waste.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
~182,870 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 70%, from 147 GWh of reported generation; the median for 506 waste plants in United States of America that report generation is 62%
- Generation trend
- 148 GWh in 2013 and 147 GWh in 2019 (−0%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2014: 154 GWh; 2019: 147 GWh
- Share of United States of America waste capacity
- 0.2% of 10,154 MW across 551 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 73 of 541 dated waste plants in United States of America are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Covanta Stanislaus Inc.
Local climate & thermal context
This waste plant recovers energy by combusting municipal or industrial waste. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.4°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 49% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 29/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #131 largest waste power plant of 551 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 551 waste power plants in this dataset, together about 10,154 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Frontier Solar LLC · Solar · 20 MW · California
- Enchanted Rock Turlock Irrigation Distri · Gas · 46.8 MW · California
- Amazon - Patterson PV · Solar · 2.5 MW · California
- Stanislaus nuclear power plant · Nuclear · 2,400 MW · California
- Walnut · Gas · 49.8 MW · California
- Walnut Energy Center · Gas · 300.6 MW · California
Location
Coordinates 37.3853, -121.141 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Covanta Stanislaus Energy?
Covanta Stanislaus Energy is a 24 MW waste power plant in California, United States of America, commissioned in 1988.
How much electricity does Covanta Stanislaus Energy generate?
Covanta Stanislaus Energy generates about 147 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Covanta Stanislaus Energy?
Covanta Stanislaus Energy is operated by Covanta Stanislaus Inc.
How much CO₂ does Covanta Stanislaus Energy emit?
Covanta Stanislaus Energy has modelled emissions of about 182,870 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).