All About Landfill Gas and Its Use as a Fuel
Landfill gas is a renewable energy source that can be used to produce electricity. This natural gas could help mitigate climate change by producing fewer greenhouse gases, but not enough people are aware of this opportunity. Companies and individuals should learn more about landfill gas and how it can be used to power their homes or businesses as this would lead to more educated choices in terms of fuel use.
Unfortunately, biogas is often overlooked as a viable source of energy, but it could be one of the cleanest and cheapest fuels on earth. The technology required to capture biogas has existed for decades, but only recently have governments begun to take notice. This is because we are quickly running out of fossil fuels like oil and coal which will leave us in serious trouble if we don’t find an alternative soon. We need to start looking at other sources of fuel now before it’s too late, and landfill gas or biogas is a very viable option.
Landfill gas can be used as a cheap and reliable source of energy that doesn’t require any new infrastructure or technologies. It is already being used by many countries around the world including Germany where they get 20% of their electricity from this source. The beauty of landfill gas is that it takes something that is produced as a waste and turns it into something useful.
The global demand for biogas as an energy source is estimated to exceed 10 million cubic meters in the near future. However, the market is not fully developed and there are significant opportunities available to established companies that are willing to invest in this technology.
Companies in the UK have developed new methods of harvesting landfill gas which results in higher production rates per facility and lower overall costs due to the increased efficiency of each plant. These patented landfill gas management systems capture all three types of gases produced by decomposing waste (methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide) and they do it incredibly efficiently; resulting in significantly more usable fuel at a lower cost per litre. This means that landfill operators can achieve their environmental goals while keeping their operations economically viable in the long term.
How is landfill gas produced?
Natural gas is a natural resource that can be produced through anaerobic decomposition in the landfill environment. Bacteria break down organic matter and release methane, carbon dioxide and other gases as waste products. Methane is the important component in terms of fuel production, and it must be captured and stored so it can be distributed into the fuel network.
The increasing demand for energy has led to a growing interest in landfill gas as an alternative fuel source. In fact, many countries have already started harnessing this energy source and are now producing enough natural gas to meet their entire national demands. But there’s one problem – not all landfills produce methane at the same rate, or in the same way. It all depends on the composition of the landfill as well as its age and the environmental conditions at the landfill site.
For example, old landfills and very new landfills do not produce high volumes of landfill gas. In fact, it can take a decade for a landfill to reach a point in its decomposition where it will begin producing methane reliably. Once this point is reached, the site will go on producing landfill gas for around 50 years before production tapers off. Likewise, landfills in cold, dry regions will produce gas more slowly than those in humid, warm environments. Sites in cold, dry places will eventually begin rapid production as the internal temperature of the landfill site is raised through exothermic reactions caused by bacteria.
Methane is not the only byproduct of landfill decomposition. Toxic compounds are also produced, and these can be gaseous or liquid in form. This means that landfills need to be treated very carefully to ensure the risks of environmental pollution are addressed and minimised. Strict controls are in place at landfills to prevent gases from escaping, and to prevent liquid compounds from leaching into the surrounding soil and groundwater.