Database of Landfill Gas to Energy Projects in the United
States
S. Thorneloe*, A. Roqueta**, J. Pacey0, C. Bottero0
*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research and Development/National
Risk
Management Research Laboratory/Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division
(MD-63), RTP, North Carolina 27711; Thorneloe.Susan@ epa.gov: USA
**Past-Chairman of SWANA Database Committee on Landfill Gas, National Survey
Systems, Irvine, California 92618; roqueta@home.com; USA
°Emcon/FHC, Inc., San Mateo, California 94402-1708; ipacey@emconinc.com; USA
To be Presented at:
Sardinia '99
Sixth International Landfill Symposium
Sardinia, Italy
October 99

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Mm.m ^ TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
iN KJV1 OLj~ x\i i i. 4 2 o (Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1. REPORT NO. 2.
KPA/600/A-01/014
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Database of Landfill Gas to Energy Projects in the
United States
S. REPORT DATE
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
S. Thorneloe(EPA); A. Roqueta(NSS); and J. Pacey
and C.Bottero (Emcon/FHC)
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
National Survey Systems Emcon/FHC, Inc.
Irvine, CA 92618 San Mateo, CA 94402
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
NA
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
EPA, Office of Research and Development
Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division 1
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Published paper; 3/98-6/99
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/13
is. supplementary notes^PPCD project officer is Susan A. Thorneloe, Mail Drop 63, 919/
541~2709. For presentation at 6th International Landfill Symposium, Sardinia, Italy,
October 1999.
16. abstract jjle paper discusses factors influencing the increase of landfill gas to en-
ergy (LFG-E) projects in the U. S. and presents recent statistics from a database.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of LFG-E projects in the U. S.,
due to such factors as implementation of the Clean Air Act regulations for municipal
solid waste landfills, availability of economic incentives, and programs to help en-
courage greehouse gas reductions and renewable energy. The U. S. LFG-E industry
has experienced about 10% per year growth since 1990. As of January 1999, there
were about 300 operational facilities, 90 facilities under construction, and 144 plan-
ned projects. The data presented in the paper are the result of a partnership between
the U. S. EPA, the Solid Waste Association of North America, and the U.S. LFG-E
industry.
17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
a. DESCRIPTORS
t).IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c. COSATI Field/Gioup
Pollution
Earth Fills
Gases
Energy
Greenhouse Effect
Pollution Control
Stationary Sources
Landfill Gas to Energy
13 B
13 C
07D
14G
04A
18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Release to Public
19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report)
Unclassified
21. NO. OF PAGES
20. SECURITY CLASS (This page)
Unclassified
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)

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Database of Landfill Gas to Energy Projects in the United States
S. Thorneloe*, A. Roqueta**, J. Pacey°, C. Bottero0
*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research and Development/National
Risk
Management Research Laboratory/Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division
(MD-63), RTP, North Carolina 27711; Thorneloe.Susan@ epa.gov; USA
**Past-Chairman of SWANA Database Committee on Landfill Gas, National Survey
Systems, Irvine, California 92618: roqueta@home.com; USA
°Emcon/FHC, Inc., San Mateo, California 94402-1708: ipkcev@emconinc.com: USA
Summary: There has been a dramatic increase in the number of landfill gas to energy
(LFG-E) projects in the U.S. This is due to a number of factors including
implementation of the Clean Air Act (CAA) regulations for municipal solid waste
(MSW) landfills, availability of economic incentives, and programs to help encourage
greenhouse gas reductions and renewable energy. The U.S. LFG-E industry has
experienced about 10 percent per year growth since 1990. As of January 1999 there were
about 300 operational facilities, 90 facilities under construction, and 144 planned
projects. The data presented in this paper are the result of a partnership between the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Solid Waste Association of North America
(SWANA), and the U.S. LFG-E industry. This paper discusses factors influencing the
increase of LFG-E projects in the U.S. and presents recent statistics from the database.
This paper has undergone review by the EPA including peer, quality assurance, and
administrative reviews.
1. INTRODUCTION
The environmental benefits of LFG-E are considered significant. Landfills are estimated
to be the largest anthropogenic source of methane emissions in the United States.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has 21 times the warming effect of carbon
dioxide. Landfill gas is considered to be a threat to human health and the environment
Utilization of landfill gas displaces fossil fuel, creates jobs, and reduces emissions that
impact human health and the environment associated with the use of nonrenewable
energy sources such as coal (Thorneloe, 1992).
Landfill gas has a composition of about 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide with trace
constituents of compounds that include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and
hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Landfill gas has about half the heating value of natural
gas. The EPA promulgated CAA regulations for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills
which were published March 12, 1996 (FR Vol. 61, No. 49). Although this regulation
uses non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) as its trigger, it recognizes the potential
cobenefits of greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, HAPs, and VOCs. The regulation
1

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requires that sites containing more than 2.5 million megagrams (Mg) and 2.5 million
cubic meters (m3) or more of waste must collect and control landfill gas if their estimated
emissions of NMOCs are 50 Mg per year or more. This will result in a reduction of ~6
million metric tons per year of carbon by the year 2000 (EPA, 1991). The associated
GHG reduction is equivalent to ~8 billion liters of gasoline per year or taking 4 million
cars off the road (FR Vol. 61, No. 49). Data have also shown that leachate is typically
less contaminated as a result of landfill gas control.
2. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE INCREASE IN LANDFILL GAS
UTILIZATION
A number of factors influence landfill gas utilization. The CAA regulations promulgated
in 1996 will result in more landfills being required to collect and control landfill gas.
While most of the landfills will flare the gas to be in compliance with this regulation, it is
expected that there will be an increase in the number of landfills that utilize landfill gas to
help offset regulatory compliance costs. The preamble of the promulgated regulation
estimated that -45 new landfills that are estimated to be constructed over the next 5 years
and -300 existing sites will be required to install gas extraction and control systems.
Additional rulemaking activities are underway that may require additional sites to collect
and control landfill gas to respond to residual risk and urban air toxic concerns. Also,
many states have rules requiring landfill gas collection and control.
In addition to an increase in new projects as a result of CAA regulations, economic
incentives have helped to encourage landfill gas utilization. The most significant of these
has been a program providing Federal tax credits (i.e., Section 29). Qualification for this
program was discontinued in June of 1998. Projects that qualified for tax credits have to
complete implementation of the energy project in order to receive the tax credits. There
has been a marked increase in new projects corresponding with the discontinuation of this
incentive. The U.S. LFG-E industry and others have attempted to get this program
continued, but its future remains unclear. Many in the industry claim that LFG-E projects
are marginally economical and that the tax incentives have been essential in helping to
encourage new projects as well as keep existing projects operating.
Another important program is EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) that
was initiated as part of the Administration's Climate Change Action Plan which targeted
landfill methane as a priority. LMOP was formed to help promote and facilitate LFG-E.
LMOP is working to minimize barriers impacting LFG-E and provide assistance to the
U.S. LFG-E industry in developing new projects. The website for further information on
the LMOP is htto://earthl .epa.gov/lmop.
Utility deregulation and its impact are unclear. Some states require a certain amount of
renewable energy. This could have a positive benefit on the growth of new LFG-E
projects and other types of renewable energy. However, renewable-based energy is not
as cost competitive as fossil-based energy due to current low costs of fossil fuels in the
U.S. Efforts to create a carbon tax have not been popular in the U.S. Policy discussions
are under way at the national and state levels to develop programs that will encourage the
use of renewable energy and reduce GHG emissions.
2

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Consolidation of the waste disposal industry and consulting and engineering services is
also impacting the U.S. LFG-E industry. Two of the largest waste management
companies in the U.S., Waste Management, Inc. and Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc.
have undergone or are undergoing consolidation. Waste Management, Inc. has 28
operating projects, with 3 under construction and 7 planned. They have the largest
number of projects of any developer and were an early pioneer in developing LFG-E
projects. Since 1992, Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc. has been aggressively developing
projects: currently they have 19 operating projects, 3 under construction, and 6 planned.
With increased emphasis on profit margins and cost-cutting measures being adopted,
these consolidations may impact the expansion or continuation of existing projects and
the development of new projects.
As a result of many factors influencing landfill gas utilization, the need exists for up-to-
date, credible statistics. A goal for the development and maintenance of the database
described in this paper is to help track industry trends. The database will also help to
better quantify the emission reductions occurring at U.S. landfills and document pollution
prevention benefits. Efforts are also underway as a result of funding by EPA's LMOP to
collect data from sites that are flaring landfill gas. It is hoped that this information will
help to identify potential new sites for LFG-E projects. In addition, the type of data
collected for LFG-E projects is being expanded to collect additional information on
existing and state-of-the art technologies including leachate evaporators, fuel cells, and
operation of landfills as a "biocell" or enhanced bioreactor that can help improve the
economics of landfill gas utilization. (Thorneloe et al., 1998; Roe et al., 1998)
3. DATABASE OF U.S. LFG-E PROJECTS
For several years, through SWANA's landfill gas database committee, information has
been collected to help track industry trends. EPA has provided support to this effort
through its Office of Research and Development and LMOP. This has been a voluntary
effort and there has been excellent cooperation by the U.S. LFG-E industry. Using data
collected in 1998, the LFG-E database is being updated and verified through contacts
with the industry and site visits. The updated version is to be released later this year.
Data have been collected on projects that are currently operating, under construction, or
in advanced planning status. Tentative projects and projects without signed contracts are
excluded. The term "project" is defined as the number of different technologies in use at
a site. For example the largest LFG-E plant in the U.S., Puente Hills, has four separate
projects including a boiler/steam turbine plant, a gas-fed turbine, a process for producing
compressed landfill gas for providing vehicle fuel, and gas sales to a local college. As
gas flow changes, many developers will use a modular approach and add equipment for
increased power generation capacity or remove equipment for use at another site.
Expansions are considered one project unless different technologies are in use. Also,
developers occasionally will collect gas from nearby sites to improve economies of scale.
There are several cases where two or more landfills fuel one project. This is counted as
one project.
Using data collected in 1998 for the U.S. LFG-E industry, we have found about 10% per
year average growth with a 16% per year average growth of new projects for this decade.
Eighty-three new projects began operation since 1996 with 18 new facilities in the last
3

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year. Currently there are about 300 operational projects, 90 projects under construction,
and 144 planned projects. Figure 1 illustrates the growth for the U.S. LFG-E industry.
New LFG-E projects begun each year are provided in Figure 2.
358
SI Planned
E3 Construction
ES Operating
Cum-Grovwth
190
1M2
1900
1900
1904
1006
2000 2001
143

:o's!
iaC«n«truc(lon
ao
:162
211.
24
>70
80
SO
120
:W0
2M
**.1
7*
23%
13%
KT*
'"Cum-Orowtti
33%


Kifa* Annual drcwth 1M8-1M8
Figure 1- Annual and Cumulative Growth for U.S. LFG-E Projects
w?i-
E2 Planned
B Construction
H Operating
iiwil
m-Mm-
Bt^tivoiun Ijff IP! Hi; Hf 111	i§| ill Hi jap m W® lal HI ;*.<• ¥m
BOpWAnyffil-f iryW
' t-i-:	\'i \.V	' •'f ll-	i'- ij •.!	4 * •'	I. a- • •' J. f i-V..' • • '-'i i -v-	\*.f * \
Figure 2 - Cumulative Growth of New LFG-E Projects in the U.S.
4

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3.1	Operational Facilities
There is a dramatic increase in the number of LFG-E projects in the U.S. with -130 in
1990 and with -300 projects in 1999. This is due to a number of factors as previously
discussed. California was the early leader in LFG-E because of a favorable utility
Standard Offer #4 contract that offered high electrical prices. Due to heavy response, this
contract was offered only in 1984 and 1985. California was also one of the first states to
require landfill gas collection and control. Similarly, in 1989 Michigan passed legislation
providing incentives for renewable power that has resulted in the construction of many
LFG-E facilities in that state. However, Michigan is fully subscribed, which has slowed
additional development. Other states have also used incentives to encourage LFG-E
including Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Due to programs to help encourage
renewable energy and GHG reductions and the implementation of the CAA regulations,
the number of projects is expected to increase. However, it is not expected to grow at the
rate experienced in this decade because many of the large projects that provide favorable
economics have been developed. However, new landfills being planned are typically
larger sites and will likely be required to collect and control landfill gas. Hopefully
programs will exist that will encourage utilization of the landfill gas so that increased
benefits to human health and the environment can be realized.
3.2	Future Growth - Facilities in Construction and Advanced Planning
About 61 projects are in an advanced planning status and 90 projects are under
construction. The majority of these projects are commercial projects that are taking
advantage of the tax credits that can potentially offset regulatory compliance costs.
However, for these projects to go forward there must be favorable economics. It is
unclear what the impact may be on these planned projects as a result of the recent
consolidations occurring in the waste industry.
A developer must secure an energy contract that exceeds the developmental costs. The
existence of favorable energy contracts in the early 1980's, over 50.08/kWhr, caused
many more LFG-E facilities to be developed in California than in any other state. Then
California development slowed significantly in the early 1990's because the utilities were
typically offering about $0.03/kWhr and the Standard Offer #4 contracts began to phase
out. Tax credits have helped to offset the lower value of the energy contracts.
Other states have bills to favor renewable energy. Illinois passed a bill that has resulted
in at least 11 projects currently in construction or in advanced planning. Other states in
the East are gaining momentum. Medium heating value projects - half that of natural gas
- are increasing in frequency, and the U.S. has over a decade of experience using boilers.
There are 28 planned medium heating value projects and 10 in advanced planning status.
Also, utilities have more interest in landfill gas utilization to help them meet GHG
reduction goals. Currently, several utilities are using, or planning to use, landfill gas in
large fossil-fueled plants and are helping to develop new projects including the use of
fuel cell technology.
4. TYPES OF TECHNOLOGIES BEING USED IN THE U.S.
Landfill gas can displace natural gas in essentially all applications and other fossil fuels
in most applications (Augenstein and Pacey, 1992; Doom et al., 1995). The distribution
of technologies in use by the LFG-E industiy is provided in Table 1. Over 70% of
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operational LFG-E projects generate electricity. Electrical generation technologies
include reciprocating engines, gas turbines, boiler/steam turbines, combined cycles (gas
turbine and steam turbine), and fuel cells. Over 50% of the operating LFG-E projects use
reciprocating engines. Innovations in their design have improved energy efficiency and
reduced by-product emissions.
Table 1 - Distribution of Project Types in the UJS. LFG-E Industry
Medium Heat
Value
High Heat
Value
70
Special-Methanol synthesis
Total Projects 294
13
29
Gas Turbine
90
144
112
" m
Uri
30
Combined
Cycle
Unknown
Special-
Greenhouse
528
Emerging technologies such as fuel cells and leachate evaporators are being more widely
considered for future use. EPA's Office of Research and Development conducted a
review of emerging technologies for landfill gas. It provides a ranking of these
technologies based on the degree of field demonstration (Roe et al., 1998). Fuel cells are
considered to be a preferred technology for landfill gas utilization due to its higher energy
efficiency compared to conventional technology and minimal environmental impact.
There has been a recent demonstration of the application of the fuel cell technology on
landfill gas that was conducted by EPA's Office of Research and Development (Spiegel
et al., 1997; 1999).
Leachate evaporators are also being used more widely. These processes use heat to
evaporate leachate and combust the exhaust gas which contains VOCs and HAPs. There
are different variations of this system. The unit manufactured by Organic Waste
Technologies has two different designs that arc described in a recent EPA report (Roc et
al., 1998). Another company, Power Strategies, has a unit that exhausts the evaporated
6

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gas from the leachate evaporator to a reciprocating engine where it is combusted while
producing electricity. The waste heat from the engines is also utilized to evaporate the
leachate.
5.	U.S. LFG-E DEVELOPERS
Currently there is much more competition and the potential profit is much less than a
decade ago when often 10 to 20 % royalties were obtainable. Decreasing prices for
electricity and natural gas have forced LFG-E developers to become more efficient, and
many have eliminated royalties. U.S. developers typically offer to install and operate the
gas collection system at cost Depending on the size of the landfill, the landfill owner can
save millions of dollars in avoiding the cost of installing, operating, and maintaining a
landfill's gas collection system by contracting with a LFG-E developer. Small lease
payments may be offered to large landfill owners by LFG-E developers.
Numerous independent developers are actively contacting landfill owners to contract
landfill gas rights and to develop LFG-E projects. LFG-E developers are typically
specialists who focus on the utilization of landfill gas and tax benefits as opposed to
landfill owners who focus on refuse disposal and landfill operations.
Over 10 independent developers are looking for new projects to develop, which results in
a competitive market. Owners of medium to large landfills issuing requests for proposals
(RFPs) for the development of LFG-E facilities can generally expect several competitive
proposals in response. An established community of competitive developers has grown
with the LFG-E industry. LFG-E projects are quickly developed whenever economically
feasible, given willing landfill owners.
6.	ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The information provided for this database has been collected under a voluntary basis.
This is being accomplished by a combined effort by SWANA, the EPA, and the U.S.
LFG-E industry. The data presented in this paper are being updated and verified and will
be released in an electronic version in 1999. Future updates and maintenance are also
planned.
The database is also being expanded to provide data on Canadian projects to include a
complete set of data for North America. Anyone interested in providing additional data
or information is encouraged to contact SWANA. The goal is to provide up-to-date and
credible data to help track trends that are occurring as a result of landfill gas utilization.
Discussions are underway to determine how best to release the database. One option
under discussion is providing an electronic form of the database that is available through
SWANA, who will be responsible for providing updates and maintenance of the data.
There may be a cost for accessing the database that will help to offset the cost associated
with future updates. A report providing a summary of the data is also being developed.
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7. REFERENCES
Augenstein, D. and J. Pacey, Landfill Gas Utilization: Technology Options and Case
Studies, EPA-600/R-92-116 (NTIS PB92-203116), U.S. EPA, Air and Energy
Engineering Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC June 1992.
Doom, M., J. Pacey, and D. Augenstein, Landfill Gas Utilization Experience: Discussion
of Technical and Non-Technical Issues, Solutions, and Trends, EPA-600/R-95-035
(NTIS PB95-188108), U.S. EPA, Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory,
Research Triangle Park, NC, March 1995.
EPA, 1991. Regulatory Package for New Source Performance Standards and 111(d)
Guidelines for Municipal Solid Waste Air Emissions. Pubjic Docket No. A-88-09
(proposed May 1991). Research Triangle Park, NC. U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. Can be found on the web site,
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/landfill/landf1pg.html.
Roe, S., J. Reisman, R. Strait, and M. Doom, Emerging Technologies for the
Management and Utilization of Landfill Gas, EPA-600/R-98-021, U.S. EPA, Air
Pollution Prevention and Control Division, Research Triangle Park, NC, February 1998.
Spiegel, R. J., J.C. Trocciola, and J. L. Preston, Test Results for Fuel-Cell Operation on
Landfill Gas, Energy, Elsevier Science, Ltd., Vol. 22, No. 8, pp. 777-786, 1997.
Spiegel, R. J., J. L. Preston, and J.C. Trocciola, Fuel Cell Operation on Landfill Gas at
Penrose Power Station, Accepted for Publication in Energy, Elsevier Science, 1999.
Thorneloe, S. and J. Pacey, "Landfill Gas Utilization - Database of North American
Projects," Presented at SWANA's 17th Annual Landfill Gas Symposium, Long Beach,
CA, March 1994.
Thorneloe, S., S. Roe, J. Reisman, and R. Strait, "Next Generation" Technologies for
Landfill Gas and "What is ETV?", Presented at 21s' Annual Landfill Gas Symposium,
Austin, TX, March 23-26,1998, Published in the Proceedings from the Solid Waste
Association of North America.
Thorneloe, S., Landfill Gas Utilization - Options, Benefits, and Barriers, Published in
Proceedings for the Second United States Conference on Municipal Solid Waste
Management, Arlington, VA, June 3-5, 1992.
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