September 2014 Green Power from Landfill Gas Improving the environment while sustainably fueling the economy What is Landfill Gas? Landfill gas (LFG) is a natural byproduct of the decomposition of organic material within landfills. LFG is composed of roughly 50 percent methane and 50 percent carbon dioxide (CO;;).' Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that traps radiation in the atmosphere and has a global warming potential 25 times greater than CO2. In 2012, landfills were the third largest human-made source of methane in the United States, accounting for about 18 percent of total methane emissions.2 Today, many cost- effective options exist to capture and use LFG to generate energy and reduce methane emissions. EPA's Interest in LFG Energy EPA is interested in supporting LFG energy projects for many reasons, because these projects: • Destroy methane and offset the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. • Help reduce local air pollution. • Create jobs, revenues and cost savings. Much has been done to facilitate development of LFG energy projects through EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP): there are more than 600 operational LFG energy projects in the United States. However, there are many more opportunities to use LFG to benefit the environment and the economy. LFG utilization projects are under way at about one-quarter of the 2,400 operating or recently closed municipal solid waste (MSW] landfills in the United States. EPA estimates that another 450 landfills present economically attractive opportunities for LFG energy project development, with the potential to generate enough energy to power 500,000 homes each year. 1 U.S. EPA. Overview of Greenhouse Gases. www.epa.rov/climatRchaniffi/yhyeiriissions/pasfts/ch4.html 2 U.S. EPA. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990- 2012. April 2014. www.eaa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/ usinventorvreport.html LFG Energy Projects Offer Many Benefits Energy Benefits. Since the late 1970s, LFG has been captured and used to provide a renewable energy resource in the form of electricity and fuel to citizens, communities and industry. In 2014, 636 operational LFG energy projects in 48 states will supply approximately: 15 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, and 116 billion cubic feet of LFG to end users. Annually, LFG projects produce enough energy to power more than 1.6 million homes for a year. Environmental Benefits. Producing energy from LFG benefits the environment directly by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and indirectly by avoiding the use of fossil fuels. Annual emissions reductions of operational LFG energy projects are approximately equivalent to the following: Carbon sequestered by 107,000,000 acres of U.S. forests in one year, or CO2 emissions from 300,000,000 barrels of oil consumed, or CO2 emissions from 14.5 billion gallons of gasoline consumed. Economic Benefits. LFG energy projects also have a substantial impact on economic growth and produce cost savings. A typical 3 megawatt LFG electricity project is estimated to offer the following economic and job creation benefits during the construction year: Add more than $1.5 million in new project expenditures for the purchase of equipment. Directly create at least five jobs for construction and installation of the equipment. • Increase the state-wide economic output by $4.1 million and employ 20 to 26 people. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that promotes the use of LFG as a renewable energy resource. By preventing emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, through the development of LFG energy projects, LMOP helps businesses, states and communities protect the environment and build a sustainable energy future. For more information about LMOP, visit www.epa.gov/lmop. ------- LFG Energy Is Truly Green Power In 2012, methane accounted for about 9 percent of all greenhouse gases emitted in the United States from human activities. LFG energy projects mitigate global climate change by preventing methane from escaping into the atmosphere. Instead, LFG is captured and used as a reliable, renewable source of green power. Properties of Methane Chemical Formula ch4 Lifetime in Atmosphere 12 years Global Warming Potential (100-year) 25 U.S. Methane Emissions, By Source Other 9%^ Manure Management www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventorvreport.html LFG and Green Pricing Programs LFG Users' Success Stories Green pricing programs offer premium rates for power provided from renewable energy resources. Many states require utilities to offer green pricing to customers, and utilities are increasingly offering green pricing options even without a legal requirement. More than 40 green pricing programs include LFG. States may also adopt renewable portfolio standards (RPS] that specify the minimum amount of customer load to be supplied from eligible renewable energy sources. At least 37 states accept LFG energy in their RPS and renewable energy resource procurement goals.3 LFG is a good fit for green power programs for several reasons: LFG is recognized by energy certification programs as a renewable energy resource.4 LFG serves as the "baseload renewable" for many green power programs, providing online availability exceeding 90 percent. Most states have landfills that can support LFG projects. Energy produced from LFG is one of the more cost- competitive forms of renewable energy. Several financial incentives exist in the form of federal tax credits and state grants. DSIRE &EPA GREEN POWER PARTNERSHIP* LFG energy projects provide significant cost savings and long-term, sustainable energy to LFG end users. Some recent examples include: Coca-Cola's Atlanta Syrup Branch facility gets nearly all of its energy in the form of electricity, steam and chilled water from green power generated at a nearby landfill, providing Coca-Cola with real energy savings. The landfill annually generates 48 million kilowatt-hours of on-site green power. The U.S. Navy saves approximately $1.1 million annually in utility costs at the Marine Corps Logistics Base located in Albany, Georgia, since its first LFG cogeneration plant was completed in 2011. This facility is made up of a dual-engine generator, a heat recovery steam generator and two dual-fuel boilers. In 2012, Envision Gundersen Health System's Onalaska Campus became the first energy- independent medical campus in the United States by using LFG piped from the local landfill in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. The LFG is used to power a generator that supplies 100 percent of campus energy needs. The U.S. Department of Justice obtains 80 percent of its Federal Bureau of Prisons' Allenwood Correctional Complex's electricity from the combustion of LFG at the nearby landfill in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. 3 Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE). www.dsireusa.org. 4 Green-e certification program for green power products fwww.green-e.orgi and U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership fwww.eDa.gov/greenDower1 ------- |