Under an expanded capture scheme, methane produced by Canberra’s main waste dump is expected to create enough energy to power 10,800 homes and substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Approximately half of the 300,000 tonnes of waste that are dumped in landfills annually in the area are categorized as organic waste, which includes food and wood products.
Methane, one of the toxic gases produced by the breakdown of organic waste, is 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at creating the greenhouse effect that causes global warming.
Since 2020, the Mugga Lane landfill in the southern part of Canberra has been collecting and converting the gasses released by organic garbage into power for local homes and businesses.
According to Jarryd Doran, chief operating officer of LGI, the plant has already assisted the ACT government in reducing carbon emissions by 963,000 tonnes, together with a landfill gas flaring project in West Belconnen.
“You’d need to plant 16 million trees to achieve an equivalent or comparable level of abatement,” he stated.
It’s a highly effective method of cutting emissions. Its measurable and irrevocable nature is another of its beauties.”
In addition to the four already in place, the ACT government and renewable energy provider LGI are currently expanding the facility by adding two more gas-to-electricity units.
In addition, a 20-megawatt grid connection with Evoenergy and a 12-megawatt battery storage will be constructed.
With those improvements, the current 4-megawatt facility would produce 50,000 megawatt hours of “dispatchable” energy annually, according to Mr. Doran.
