Harnessing Landfill Gas (LFG) for Renewable Energy: A Way to Reduce Greenhouse Gases Emission and Global Warming
Due to increasing demands for fossil fuels in recent years, industrialized countries such as Taiwan ROC needs alternative energy to diversify its energy supply. In this regards, renewable energy such as landfill gas (LFG) (Figure 1) has become one of the most attractive options to sustain its continued economic development.
Figure 1. Landfill Gas as a Renewable Energy
Considering that approximately 35,379 tonnes of MSW is generated daily in Taiwan and disposed of in local landfills, LFG from sanitary landfills is one of the most attractive options to be developed as a renewable energy (Lo et al., 2009). It is estimated that one tonne of landfilled MSW generates 125 m 3 of LFG that contains 54% of CH4 and 18% of CO2(Figure 2).
Figure 2. Landfill gas composition
As methane is a major contributor to global warming worldwide (Figure 3), its emissions to the atmosphere need to be reduced. After removing its impurity, harnessing LFG for energy, fuel, and/or electricity is one of the best ways to achieve a short-term beneficial impact in mitigating climate change. In this case, methane gases collected from landfills would be treated at a plant that could remove unwanted impurities such as CO2 to generate a natural gas substitute. This strategy would not only help cut the bill of households and controls greenhouse gases emissions worldwide, but also promote a new source of renewable energy. In addition to tackling climate change, this approach would ease growing environmental concerns over a rapid economic development in Taiwan.
Figure 3. Production of Landfill Gas Worldwide Annually (Total: 12. 6 Tg)
Needless to say, harnessing LFG for energy production and/or fuel power is one of the most promising options not only to reduce global methane emissions and the atmospheric pollution (Hansen, 2005a; 2005b), but also to provide a non-conventional source of energy that can be utilized for several energy-producing purposes, thus generating additional revenues for landfill operators through the commercialization of green power and transfer of emissions reduction credits. This revenue may be able not only to defray the cost of landfill operation and maintenance (O&M), but also to provide an incentive and means to improve the design and operation of landfills, thus developing a better overall waste management system in Taiwan. Simultaneously, it also makes sense to use the LFG for energy generation if this is economically viable. Such energy generation can create job opportunities that help build local economy. Moreover, the value of the energy derived from the biogas can offset the cost of collecting and processing LFG to generate fuels and fertilizers without releasing greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.
Further reading:
Hansen J (2005a). A slippery slope: How much global warming constitutes “dangerous anthropogenic interference”? Climatic Change 68(3): 269-279.
Hansen J, et al. (2005b). Earth's Energy Imbalance: Confirmation and Implications. Science 308(5727): 1431-1435.
Lo HM et al. (2009). Biostabilization assessment of MSW co-disposed with MSWI fly ash in anaerobic bioreactors. J Hazards Maters 162(2-3): 1233-1242
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