Landfill Gas and Biofuels: AG Growing Success Story Chris Voell USEPA-Office of Air and Radiation Climate Change Division Non-CO2 Programs Branch Washington, DC
EPA s Landfill Methane Outreach Program Established in 1994 Voluntary program that creates alliances among states, energy users/providers, the landfill gas industry, and communities Mission: To reduce methane emissions by lowering barriers and promoting the development of cost-effective and environmentally beneficial landfill gas energy (LFGE) projects.
Why EPA is Concerned About Landfill Gas Methane is a potent heat-trapping gas Landfills are the largest human-made source of methane in the United States, t accounting for 24% generated in 2005 There are many cost-effective ti options for reducing methane emissions while generating energy Projects reduce local air pollution and create jobs, revenues, and cost savings
Landfill Gas 101 Landfill gas (LFG) is a by-product of the decomposition of municipal solid waste (MSW): ~ 50% methane (CH 4 ) ~ 50% carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) <1% non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) For every 1 million tons of MSW: ~ 0.8 MW of electricity ~ 9 MMBtu/hr of energy If uncontrolled, LFG contributes to smog and global warming, and may cause health and safety concerns
Modern Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Source: Modern Landfills: A Far Cry From the Past, NSWMA 2006
Landfill Gas Energy Projects and Candidate Landfills
Technology Trends Electricity it Projects Reciprocating Engine Gas Turbine Cogeneration Microturbine Steam Turbine Combined Cycle Operational Projects Organic Rankine Cycle Under Construction and Planned Projects 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Number of Projects
Technology Trends Direct-Use Projects Boiler Direct Thermal Leachate Evaporation High Btu Greenhouse Alternative Fuel Medium Btu Liquefied Natural Gas Methanol Synthesis Operational Projects Under Construction and Planned Projects 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Number of Projects
LFG Has Been Used to Help Produce Aluminum Alternative fuels (biodiesel, CNG, ethanol, and LNG) Aquaculture (e.g., tilapia) At Arts & crafts (blacksmithing, ceramics, and glass) Biosolids (drying) Bricks and concrete Carpet Cars and trucks Chemicals Chocolate Consumer goods and containers Denim Electronics Fiberglass, nylon, and paper p Furthering space exploration Garden plants Green power Ice cream, milk, and tea Infrared heat Juice (apple, cranberry, and orange) Pharmaceuticals Pierogies and snack food Soy-based products Steel Tomatoes (hydroponic) Taxpayer savings and increased sustainability!
Emerging Technologies: LFG for Vehicle Fuel City of Denton, TX uses LFG to fuel a 3 million gal/yr biodiesel production facility Los Angeles, CA converts LFG into CNG to fuel landfill equipment (Puente Hills LF) Orange Co, CA 1 st commercial LFG-to-LNG facility online Jan. 07 used in county waste trucks (Frank R. Bowerman LF) Central LF, CA plans to convert LFG to CNG to fuel Sonoma County school buses Franklin Co, OH is in the process of using LFG to produce methanol as a feedstock for biodiesel Waste Management in CA plans to produce 10-20K gal LNG per day for garbage trucks
City of Denton Landfill, TX and Biodiesel Industries One renewable fuel fuels another LFG from city landfill used in industrial process to convert renewable feedstock, vegetable oils, and animal fats into 3 million gal/yr of biodiesel City garbage trucks and other utility vehicles are fueled by 80% diesel / 20% biodiesel (B20) Improves regional air quality Stimulates local economic development Reduces dependence on foreign oil 2005 LMOP Project of the Year
Jackson County Green Energy Park Sylva, NC 2006 LMOP Project of the Year LMOP 2006 Project of the Year
Abengoa Bioenergy Colwich, Kansas Project started in September 1998 DTE Biomass and LES Energy developed the project with City of Wichita and High Plains Corp. Approximately 4 mmscfd of landfill gas are collected, treated and compressed and then sent down a 11-mile pipeline to Abengoa plant Abengoa uses the gas to produce steam at its ethanol production plant Estimate offset 80% of natural gas needs Significant ifi cost savings
Advanced BioEnergy nets Indiana project The site for the proposed Rochester facility to be built by IRF is near a large landfill operated by Allied Waste Industries, which IRF believes will provide methane gas to power the plant. By using the landfill gas for direct use at its ethanol plant, IRF would expect to utilize a renewable fuel that would otherwise not be recovered for beneficial use. Ethanol Producer Magazine, May 2006
Synthetic Diesel Use LFG instead of natural gas in Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process to produce synthetic diesel Oklahoma City, OK
Methanol Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) and FirmGreen Energy (FGE) Grove City, OH plant First phase will use LFG as feedstock for CNG and as fuel to fire a micro turbine to produce electricity (operational early 2007) Second phase of project will use LFG to produce both methanol and biodiesel
There Are Still Many Untapped LFG Resources Currently ~570 candidate landfills with a total t gas generation potential of 700 million cubic feet per day (~14,800 MMBtu/hr) OR electric potential of 1,370 MW (~11 million MWh/yr) If projects were developed at all these landfills, estimated Annual Environmental Benefit = Planting ~16 million acres of forest OR removing the emissions from ~11 million vehicles on the road, and Annual Energy Benefit = Powering 870,000000 homes OR heating 1.5 million homes per year
How Can We Work Together? Direct Project Assistance Analyze landfill resource gas modeling Identify potential matches LMOP Locator Assess landfill and end user facilities Look at project possibilities Direct-use (boiler, heating, cooling, direct thermal) Combined Heat & Power (engine, turbine, microturbine) Electric (engine, turbine, microturbine) Alternative Fuels (medium or high Btu, LNG, CNG) Initial feasibility analyses LFGcost
Identify Potential Matches
Analyze Landfill Resource Indian River County Landfill 3000 2004 Recovery (scfm) LFG Production and 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 Production Recovery 0 1979 1989 1999 2009 2019 2029 2039 Year
For More Information Brian Guzzone Team Lead 202-343-9248 guzzone.brian@epa.gov