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 LFG, the gases are now viewed as not only a suitable alternative of energy but also as environmentally beneficial. This analysis will discuss some of the alternative uses of LFG and its benefit to consumers and the environment.
The increase in the use of LFG as an alternative energy source stems from a new understanding of the processes involved in its production, as well as government legislation on the federal, state, and local level offering a number of incentives to help those utilizing it for ...