| The importance of Collecting and Burning Landfill Gas | | | | proportion of the total CH4 it will collect may be no |
| to reduce Global Warming - By: Steve Last | | | | more than 50%, of the total produced over the |
| Climate change is one of the most serious | | | | lifetime of the landfill. |
| environmental threats. | | | | The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint |
| At the end of 2005 the United Kingdom’s Hadley | | | | Implementation (JI) created by the Kyoto Protocol |
| Centre announced results of climate modeling which | | | | are project based emission reduction systems and |
| were described as finally demonstrating beyond | | | | operate under the United Nations Framework |
| doubt that the generally rising average global | | | | Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These |
| temperatures seen during the 20th century and | | | | mechanisms make it possible to launch LFG utilization |
| continuing in the first five years of the 21st, are | | | | projects for example in ANNEX I countries and |
| caused by human activities. | | | | purchase Emission Reduction Units (ERU) which are |
| In fact, they summarized the continuing trend | | | | the CO2 equivalent units. |
| through 2005 as follows:- | | | | So, we have established that one very potent GHG |
| “2005 has been the warmest year on record for | | | | is landfill gas (LFG), due to its high methane (CH4) |
| the northern hemisphere. The end of November saw | | | | content. If say, on average, the LFG emitted from a |
| mean sea and land temperature 0.65 C above the | | | | landfill site comprises half methane and half other |
| long-term average, while temperatures in the | | | | gases, by preventing one unit of LFG emission we will |
| southern hemisphere were found to be the fourth | | | | save about ten times the equivalent weight in CO2. |
| warmest on record. The statistics continue the | | | | Torch burning (burning in a flare) decreases CH4 |
| recent trend of increasing global temperatures, which | | | | emissions by about 95%, and emissions can be |
| have seen the ten warmest years all occurring in the | | | | reduced even more with energy utilization. |
| last 11 years and follow various climate change | | | | Comparisons between GHG emissions with and |
| forecasts. "These figures show that global warming is | | | | without LFG flaring, and with the addition of the |
| continuing and are consistent with what we expect | | | | necessary infrastructure and generation equipment to |
| to occur from our research into greenhouse gas | | | | produce power have been carried out using Life |
| emissions" - commented Adam Scaife, a Climate | | | | Cycle Assessment methods. |
| Variability scientist at the Met Office Hadley Centre. | | | | These studies have also examined the financial |
| In the UK, the Central England Temperature (CET) | | | | profitability of LFG utilization projects with different |
| for 2005 was 1.07 C above normal and within the top | | | | CO2 emission costs. In both instances very big |
| ten warmest years ever.” Ref: UK Meteorological | | | | reductions in GHG emissions can be achieved, but the |
| Office, Hadley Centre and the University of East | | | | balance becomes especially favourable when the CO2 |
| Anglia. | | | | emissions saved by replacing power which would |
| There is no doubt that the threat to our environment | | | | have otherwise been generated by non-renewable |
| is real, and that we must act to limit the damage, | | | | (usually fossil, fuels) are considered. Profitability for |
| and that there will be great economic and social | | | | most schemes has also been reported to be good |
| damage as well. | | | | under current market values for the Carbon Credits |
| Many governments have ratified the Kyoto Protocol, | | | | allocated. |
| the purpose of which is to reduce greenhouse gas | | | | Methane is a relatively clean fuel and its use produces |
| (GHG) emissions, and to begin to limit the greenhouse | | | | far less sulfur dioxide than burning coal. So |
| severity of the effect. | | | | substituting LFG utilization energy for fossil fuels |
| The many signatory nations are committed to | | | | generated energy, also reduces other emissions in |
| reducing GHG emissions to the level of 1990, and | | | | most cases. |
| collectively a reduction in 5.2% has been agreed by | | | | In the United Kingdom, in common with many other |
| 2012. It has taken until 2005 for the negotiations to | | | | EU countries, most of our landfills (and all of the large |
| be completed, but now in early 2006 the agreements | | | | emitting landfills) already have landfill gas collection and |
| are in-place, and there has been 9 months of | | | | flaring systems installed as required by our |
| Emissions Trading. | | | | Environment Agency. This means that the most likely |
| This means that a lot of uncertainties have been | | | | manner in which countries like the UK can encourage |
| removed, and we can begin to look at the methods | | | | and make use of the provision of landfill Energy from |
| which can now be adopted to bring those benefits | | | | Waste (EfW) will be by emission trading between the |
| which can be achieved by Kyoto into reality. | | | | developed and the developing nations, as set up by |
| Make no mistake about it. There is a huge task | | | | the Kyoto agreement. |
| ahead. GHG emissions monitored in the form of global | | | | EMISSION TRADING |
| Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions have continued rising | | | | In 1992 the United Nations Framework Convention on |
| inexorably since 1990, and in 2003, global emissions | | | | Climate Change (UNFCCC) was accepted. It defined |
| were about 15 million tonnes greater than in 1990 [1]. | | | | the framework for international climate policy and 188 |
| According to forecasts of authorities, the amount of | | | | countries have ratified it. The Framework came into |
| GHG emissions will continue to grow in most nations, | | | | force in 1994 for all the nations which were then |
| and additional measures will be necessary to achieve | | | | signatories. The main goal of the Framework is to |
| the reversion to 1990 levels. | | | | begin to tackle the challenges posed by climate |
| In many EU Countries, and other developed | | | | change. On 11th December 1997, a number of |
| countries, various fiscal measures have already | | | | governments first adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which |
| implemented. There are many further financially | | | | sets legally binding limits to GHG emissions in industrial |
| reasonable measures to save energy and to improve | | | | countries, and Emissions Trading has been an integral |
| energy efficiency, which are being progressively | | | | part of the protocol throughout. |
| implemented in the Kyoto member states. | | | | The EU has drawn up a scheme for GHG emission |
| However, the demands of society continue toward | | | | allowance trading, and this is implemented at |
| greater affluence and energy use, even in the | | | | company level within industry. An “allowance” |
| developed Kyoto signatory countries energy use | | | | means an allowance to emit one tonne of carbon |
| continues to rise, despite the 20% increase in energy | | | | dioxide, or an equivalent in methane, during a |
| costs experienced in 2005, throughout Europe and | | | | specified period [4]. |
| globally. | | | | Every EU member state has its own emission level |
| So, it appears that for most nations, still more actions | | | | reduction target and the competent authorities of |
| are going to be needed to reach the existing | | | | the member states grant the allowances to |
| emission reduction target, let alone to provide means | | | | companies. EU emission trading is extended beyond |
| by which, beyond 2012, we can reduce CO2 levels | | | | the EU by The Clean Development Mechanism and |
| still further. | | | | Joint Implementation. |
| Let is not forget that after 2012 it will be necessary | | | | Price of Allowances in the EU Market |
| to maintain or reduce the 1990 level globally, not let it | | | | Emission trading takes place between companies. Any |
| rise further; not easy given the above average rate | | | | company is able to buy more allowances if they need |
| of energy demand from the developing nations. | | | | more GHG emission permits than they already have. |
| We have mentioned already what each developed | | | | The price of emission allowances is just like any |
| Kyoto nation can, and will, be doing at home. Another | | | | traded commodity and rises and falls under market |
| way to reduce national CO2 is purchasing Assigned | | | | forces of supply and demand. |
| Amount Units (AAU) which are the CO2 equivalent | | | | Before GHG emission permits had been granted, |
| units owned by states which participate in the | | | | forecasts for allowance prices varied typically |
| emission trade mechanism of the Kyoto protocol | | | | between 5 and 15 Euro/tonne CO2. In early 2005 the |
| (“Carbon Credits” system). So, purchase of | | | | allowance price was 7.5 Euro/tonne CO2 [5]. After |
| Carbon Credits is now possible for the developed | | | | that the price started to rise and in July 2005 it had |
| nations, from the developing nations. | | | | risen to 28 Euro/tonne CO2 [5]. In October 2005 the |
| THE IMPORTANCE OF METHANE AND LANDFILL | | | | price reduced again to 23 Euro/tonne CO2 [6]. The |
| GAS IN CLIMATE CHANGE | | | | very high price which held through this autumn |
| Now let’s for a while forget about the | | | | surprised industry, and for many companies it meant |
| Greenhouse Gas (GHG) CO2, which we have | | | | additional expenses. However, such a high price is |
| discussed so far, and think about another gas: | | | | very good news for LFG Energy from Waste (EfW) |
| methane. | | | | scheme profitability. |
| Why methane? Well we should consider methane, | | | | It is very difficult to forecast the allowance price, |
| because it has a global warming effect about 23 | | | | because there are many factors which have an |
| times stronger than carbon dioxide (CO2) [2]. | | | | effect on it. Prices could rise or fall, but most |
| It has only been fully appreciated within the past 10 | | | | schemes underway and planned were based upon |
| years that methane so significant to global warming, | | | | the early price forecasts, and now look very |
| and one place in which large quantities of methane | | | | profitable. |
| are being produced by human activity is within landfills. | | | | Financial analysts have generally forecast that the |
| Landfill gas from any modern landfill which was built | | | | prices of EU Allowances could be between 5 and 50 |
| to comply with EU regulations, and all others | | | | Euro/tonne CO2, a very wide range. At the moment |
| worldwide built to similar principles within the past 20 | | | | early January 2006, a stable price band appears to |
| to 25 years, will usually produce an LFG containing | | | | have been reached in the range 20 and 25 Euro |
| between 40% and 60% of methane. | | | | tonne CO2 [6]. (Any potential investor must look at |
| Therefore, landfills have a major potential to produce | | | | the evidence and gain his/her own view.) |
| a significant GHG impact, indeed the UK DEFRA has | | | | Many governments are concerned about climate |
| put the UK's landfill gas contrbution at between 17% | | | | change because it is now known to be caused by |
| and 25% of total GHG emissions. | | | | human activty and a serious environmental threat. |
| Landfills without a landfill gas collection system, which | | | | Emission trading, in which CO2 Allocations are |
| vent freely to the atmosphere, therefore have a | | | | purchased from LFG Flaring and EfW Schemes in the |
| significant and rising influence on the greenhouse | | | | developing nations is one very environmentally and |
| effect. Indeed, even for landfills with an effective | | | | economically and socially sound method for reducing |
| capping and a gas extraction system installed, the | | | | GHG emissions and fighting Climate Change. |