Methane Capture

The State of California is recognized as a leader in the global movement to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG).  In 2006, the Governor signed into law Assembly Bill 32, a major initiative for reducing GHG. This law aims to reduce GHG emissions in California to 1990 levels by the year 2020 (30% reduction of current levels), and an incremental 80% reduction below 1990 levels by the year 2050.

Methane makes up 20% of GHG, the leading cause of global warming and climate change.  When methane is released into the environment, it's almost 22 times more potent than carbon dioxide.  By capturing the methane produced in these landfills, the environment is improved, the use of fossil fuels is reduced, and methane gas is available for resale.

ADP's Methane Capture partner, Waste to Energy Group, LLC (WTEG), a green systems integration company, was formed to bring state-of-the-art Methane Capture technology in use in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere to the USA.  WTEG's expert technical services start with the analysis of existing landfill properties, including the measurement of gas pressure, liquid pressure, and vacuum zones. 

Using this information, WTEG engineers design a steam injection "Landfill Bioreactor" to increase the humidity of the landfill which accelerates biodegradation (from 20 years down to 1 or 2 years) and maximizes the quantity of methane (up to 70% of available gases) and carbon dioxide (up to 30%) which can be captured. 

Older bioreactors use liquid technology which can saturate refuse.  This introduces significant operating problems (increased leachate generation, uneven loading on slope liners, potential blockage of drains, etc.).  Steam injection technology provides precise operating controls, which minimizes many of the problems associated with liquid technology, and steam greatly improves moisture distribution.

Using new steam-injection technology, a 5 acre landfill having 500 tons of organic waste can produce ~6,000,000 cubic feet of biogas per day, yielding as much as $65 million in net annual biogas sales.

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