Landfills produce significant amounts of methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. Methane potential depends on decomposable material and landfill gas contains contaminants that affect power generation efficiency.
Landfill methane potential is the expected energy value of methane produced from the decomposition of organic matter in landfills, if this methane were to be used for energy generation such as electricity. Large landfills often produce very significant amounts of methane. This flammable gas usually simply seeps from landfill into the atmosphere, where it contributes to pollution problems, including global warming. Methane is one of the most harmful pollutants in terms of global warming and as a greenhouse gas; it is up to 20 times more harmful than equivalent volumes of carbon dioxide. The attraction of methane from landfills as an energy source is partly to prevent air pollution, and partly because it has the potential of a low-cost energy source.
The methane potential of landfills depends on many factors, including the proportion of decomposable material that makes up the garbage disposed of at the site. Non-decomposable materials, such as non-biodegradable plastics, do not contribute to the production of methane. The chemical reactions that create methane in landfills are similar to natural processes that also generate methane. These processes are the result of the activity of microorganisms, and are typically anaerobic fermentation processes, ie they take place in non-ventilated places with oxygen. Natural production of methane occurs during manure decay, when organic matter decays in waterlogged areas such as wetlands and in the stomachs of cows and other ruminants when plant cellulose is digested.
The gas produced by landfills is in fact typically a mixture of several different gases, of which methane usually constitutes about 50% of the volume. While the methane potential of landfills as an alternative energy source is very significant, and indeed is already being used as a viable energy source in some countries, there are other ecological factors to consider when evaluating landfills for their potential energy production. Landfill gas typically contains many contaminants, which are released into the atmosphere when the gas is burned for energy. These contaminants also affect the efficiency of the power generation methods that may be used, as boilers or turbines using landfill gas can require high levels of maintenance and cleaning.
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