Alternate Uses of Landfill Gas

Three decades ago, the notion of landfills was a distasteful one to most people. Landfills emit natural gases that are a by-product of decomposition of organic waste. Landfill gas emissions give off a noxious odor for those living in close proximity to landfills, and the release of gases from aerobic and anaerobic (oxygen free) processes were thought to be detrimental to the environment. Landfill gas (LFG) is primarily composed of carbon dioxide and methane. Because of this, it is flammable and potentially explosive in the atmosphere and is a significant greenhouse gas, since it traps more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Despite these conventional concerns over LFG, new technologies have promoted new uses for LFG. From alternative fuel for vehicles to an alternative source of energy to heat buildings, Landfill gas-to-energy projects (LFGTE) are now common in many parts of the U.S. and abroad.

Landfill gas projects actually began during the 1970s, when shortages of oil led to a search for alternative sources of energy. However, it was not until the 1980s and 1990s that significant growth of LFGTE projects occurred. Landfill gas is emitted when landfill waste decomposes in oxygen free conditions. LFG is primarily comprised of the following components: Methane (50%); Carbon dioxide (45%), and Non-methane organic compounds (5%), (Cohen 2001). With a new understanding of the processes that lead to the formation of L

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technical assistance to a variety of stakeholders in the LFG industry, including landfill owners, operators, communities, states, energy organizations and others. From feasibility studies to the identification of uses of LFG, the organization ahs been responsible for many LFG and LFGTE projects since its inception. A growing number of LFG and LFGTE projects have been put into operation or are under construction due to the myriad benefits that accrue from their use. The projects are as varied as their numbers. In Chandler, Arizona, the city has inked a deal with Salt River Project, a semi-public utility, to provide methane gas from its landfill to the energy company. Typically, methane emissions are burned off in landfills through flares. The Chandler flares emit 200 cubic feet of methane a minute from one 66-acre landfill (McMullen 2000, 4). As part of the Salt River Project's comprehensive green energy program, the Salt River Project hopes to redirect the methane to fuel electricity-producing generators. Gerry Backhaus, superintendent of solid waste, says the proposed project "will generate enough electricity for 210 homes per year" (McMullen 2000, 4). While this project is smaller than most in operation or under constru

Category: Science - A