Salem Energy Systems LLC — United States of America

Salem Energy Systems LLC is a 4.5 MW waste power plant in North Carolina, United States of America. It is operated by Salem Energy Systems LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 30 GWh, it can supply roughly 8.5k homes. It ranks #7356 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2017, it is around 9 years old — relatively modern. 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 USA0054984.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 4.5 MW, Salem Energy Systems LLC is below 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.

Key facts

Load factor

76%, from 30 GWh of reported generation; the median for 506 waste plants in United States of America that report generation is 62%

Generation trend

26 GWh in 2013 and 30 GWh in 2019 (+12%)

Highest and lowest year

2019: 30 GWh; 2014: 25 GWh

Share of United States of America waste capacity

less than 0.1% of 10,154 MW across 551 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

524 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 Salem Energy Systems LLC.

Local climate & thermal context

This waste plant recovers energy by combusting municipal or industrial waste. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 36.2°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 20% 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: 43/100 — this site sits in the mid 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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), 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 #367 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

• Germantown Solar LLC · Solar · 1.5 MW · North Carolina
• Waste Management Piedmont LFGTE Project · Waste · 2.4 MW · North Carolina
• Carol Jean Solar · Solar · 4 MW · North Carolina
• Belews Creek nuclear power plant · Nuclear · 600 MW · North Carolina
• Belews Creek · Coal · 2,491.2 MW · North Carolina
• Belews Creek Steam Station · Coal · 2,160 MW · North Carolina

Location

Coordinates 36.1912, -80.1835 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions