Strategies for Converting Landfill Gas to Renewable Energy and Reducing the Carbon Footprint: A Case Study of Southeast Texas

Landfills contribute to climate change primarily through the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), into the atmosphere. the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is actively engaged in efforts to minimize landfills' carbon footprint and promote renewable energy projects that harness landfill gas (LFG). This study investigates three LFG conversion strategies, flaring, electricity generation, and renewable natural gas (RNG) in a case study of the Golden Triangle Landfill in Beaumont, Texas. Three scenarios of LFG emissions were simulated using the EPA's LFG Simulation Model. Notably, one scenario simulates an increase in the annual waste acceptance rate from 1993 to 2021, followed by a subsequent decrease from 2022 to 2040. The simulated values align closely with the 2021 real landfill data. Each strategy's equipment is designed to calculate capital investments, operational costs, carbon footprint reductions, and potential profits. The electricity generation strategy stands out by achieving profitability from its inaugural year of operation, even without carbon credit market trade or carbon tax credit profits. This strategy anticipates reaching its highest profit of $9,622,257 by 2035, based on an electricity price rate of $0.125/kWh. In contrast, the RNG strategy, while eventually profitable, requires a longer timeline to break even due to its higher initial investment. It becomes profitable in its tenth year without carbon credit market trade or carbon tax credit profits, or in its fifth year with carbon credit market trade (at $40/ton). The RNG strategy boasts the most substantial carbon footprint reduction, cutting 1,073,195 tons of emissions, equating to an 89% reduction rate by 2035. Meanwhile, the electricity generation and flaring strategies also contribute significantly, reducing carbon footprints by 997,272 tons with an 83% reduction rate by 2035. This study underscores the vast untapped potential within landfills, particularly in converting their emissions into electricity, from both economic and environmental standpoints.