Landfill Gas

The controlled collection and combustion of this Gas is an indispensable step in the modern operation and re-cultivation of a landfill site. In addition, the high calorific value of landfill gas makes it a viable fuel for gas engines that can be effectively used for power generation. With more than 25 years of experience in the combustion of landfill gas throughout the world, INNIO's Jenbacher landfill gas engines provide an ideal solution for using your waste gas as an energy source.

How does it work?

Municipal waste contains about 150 to 250 kg of organic carbon per ton. These substances are biologically degradable and are converted by microorganisms into landfill gas. Stable, anaerobic methane fermentation begins one to two years after the waste is deposited in the landfill.

Following a simple rule of thumb, 1 million tons of deposited municipal solid waste will produce landfill gas over a twenty-year period—an amount sufficient to fuel a gas engine capacity of 1 MW.

• Perforated tubes are drilled into the landfill body and interconnected by a pipe work system.
• Using a blower, the gas is sucked from the landfill, compressed, dried and fed into the landfill gas engine.
• In most cases, electrical power generated by a landfill gas power plant is fed into the public grid.
• Since there is no buyer for the heat output in most cases, the thermal energy could be converted into further electrical power.

Benefits of landfill gas to energy solutions

Jenbacher landfill gas engines are specially designed to run at full load with high efficiency, despite a low heating value and fluctuations of gas quality and pressure. High quality engine parts resist impurities that usually appear in this type of fuel.

• Mitigation of greenhouse gas (methane) and possible carbon monetization with INNIO landfill gas to energy solutions.
• Revenues for power production, when fed into the public grid.
• Alternative disposal of landfill gas while simultaneously harnessing it as an energy source.
• Low weight landfill gas generators in containers. Ready-to-use landfill gas power generation solutions are easy to move and adjust to changing project capacity.
• Smooth operation despite low heating value and fluctuations in gas composition and pressure.
• Standard electrical efficiency of up to 42% and up to 90% in the case of combined heat and power (landfill gas cogeneration/CHP).
• CL.AIR integrated emission control solution complies with country-specific standards.

© Header Image: Landfill Wernsdorf, 2015; Image author: Firma Helicolor Luftbild Ost GmbH; Landfill operator: Berlin Cleaning Service