Willawong Biogas to Renewable Power Project
Simply because a landfill closes and the trucks carrying
new waste stop arriving, doesn’t mean the buried waste
stops affecting the environment. For decades waste still
moves through the natural process of decomposition,
continuing to produce harmful methane, as it would if the
landfill were still open.
Even after 20 years since it received waste, the Willawong
landfill in Brisbane produces enough biogas to fuel a power
station.
Instead of allowing this harmful waste gas to enter
the atmosphere, working alongside Brisbane City Council,
LGI built and operates a biogas-to-renewable power project.
Commissioned in 2011 as a 1MW station, the generator was
replaced in 2019 with an optimally sized 600kW unit – to
match reduced biogas volumes from the closed landfill.
Renewable energy
Biogas captured
Carbon abatement
ACCUs created
Seedlings planted
LGI captures biogas from landfills and converts it to carbon dioxide, which is 28 times less harmful to the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. This is an important and proven emissions reduction solution for closed landfills.
With over 1,000 landfills operating across Australia – open and closed. It is critical that more of these benefit from active biogas extraction systems, as we continue to find clean solutions to the environmental problems created by our modern society
““The biogas from this old tip still produces enough energy to power 950 homes. Being responsive and available 24/7 it also makes the local power supply more reliable.”
Adam Bloomer, Managing Director and Founder
We’ve achieved far-reaching benefits from the carbon abatement and renewable energy achieved at this landfill, which will lead to further improved outcomes for the future.
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Improves air quality
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Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
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Contributes to the local economy
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Support best practice landfill operations
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Reduces landfill odors
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Stabilises the local electricity system
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Provides renewable energy
We expedite the transition to renewables with clean energy and carbon abatement solutions. Carbon credits enable a commercially viable project to create additional abatement.
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Long-term contract with Brisbane City Council to recover and beneficially use biogas from this small landfill in Brisbane. Closed for 20 years, and still producing enough biogas to fuel a power station, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the local economy.
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No regulatory requirement to capture biogas. ACCUs under the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) enabled additional abatement by making development of this small biogas to renewable power project commercially viable on this old, closed landfill, with a zero percent baseline.
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The project supplies consistent, dispatchable (peak and base load) power to help stabilise the local electricity system for planning future development in the region. Commissioned in 2011 as 1MW, in 2019 the generator was replaced with an optimally sized 600kW unit to match reduced biogas volumes from the closed landfill.
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LGI collaborated closely with the Council regarding the design, installation, operations and maintenance of the biogas management system, including the monitoring and reporting services provided and to develop the power station.
