By Travis Benn - (4 min read)
There are over 500 landfill sites dotted around the UK, and the majority of them – more than 450 – produce renewable energy through landfill gas technology installed on site. Although the site itself will be owned by a waste management firm or local council, the equipment belongs to an energy company, which leases a part of the site for 20-25 years, generates electricity from the gas, and earns an income from exporting the gas to the National Grid.
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Waste underdog drives change towards net zero future
By Travis Benn – (4 min read) For years, landfill sites were seen as the only option for municipal solid waste. Now, although landfill quite rightly sits at the bottom of the waste hierarchy, it is still a globally viable waste solution. Aside from its role in disposing of solid waste, it is also contributing to the renewable energy market, which has become increasingly important in tackling climate change. Landfill gas is a natural by-product of the decomposition of organic material. Because the gas is mainly made up of methane and carbon dioxide, if it is released into the atmosphere, it can have a devastating effect on a planet already under pressure. Capturing landfill gas to feed into the electricity grid is standard practice in the UK, but the industry is also seeing new innovation. Innovative system transforms landfill gas into transport fuels One of the country’s leading waste management firms Viridor announced in November that it was investing a whopping £2 million in a gas clean-up system which transforms landfill gas into transport fuels while also capturing CO2. Viridor will work with Dutch company CarbonOrO to deliver the project at its Dunbar landfill site in Scotland. How does the clean-up system work? In the system, landfill gas is extracted from the ground, where it then undergoes a stripping process to upgrade the methane into fuel-grade biomethane and a temperature regeneration process to enable the capture of carbon dioxide and other contaminants. All of this can be done in a ‘matter of minutes’, representing a huge potential for the renewable energy market. The biomethane can then be put into the gas grid, used as a gaseous transportation fuel or use in liquid gas applications. What will happen to the fuel produced? Once the site is up and running, Viridor will use the fuel to power its own fleet of waste collection vehicles, as well as building supply agreements with filling stations. The process will also see the carbon dioxide captured used in agriculture, chemical and manufacturing processes. How much carbon could this fuel save? The Dunbar landfill site is currently producing 2,500m3/hr of gas, which Viridor predicts can create transport fuel for 34,000 truck miles per year. This is equivalent to a carbon saving of 380 tonnes a year compared to diesel. The process will also use heat from Viridor’s existing energy recovery facility representing a closed-loop, efficient service. The plant will be installed soon, with commissioning taking place this summer. If commercially successful, Viridor plans to roll out the technology across the rest of its landfill sites. Showing commitment during uncertain times Viridor’s announcement comes at an uncertain time in environmental policy. Incentives set by government to encourage best practice, such as the landfill gas renewable obligation certificates (ROCs), are due to come to an end in 2026/7, so it has become essential for businesses to develop these processes regardless of government support. Viridor’s financial backing in what it believes to be the world’s first gas clean-up site is an exciting sign of a resource industry ready for a net zero future. For further information, please contact: Travis Benn Co-Founder 0203 375 6144 
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