Methane landfill gas. an 80's reality

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Butane-Propane News; (United States)

OSTI ID:6416544

According to a recent American Gas Association report, enough methane could be extracted from America's city dumps during the 1980's to supply to 2.1 million homes annually. But to do so, federal and state policies limiting the size of dumps must be contended with. Recovery plants cost $10-$50 million. The economic breakeven point is a landfill that handles 300,000-500,000 tons/yr of refuse, based on a recovery rate of 3 million Btu of pipeline-quality gas from each ton of refuse. The economics of landfill gas recovery involve low transportation costs, since landfills are generally near urban areas where end users are located. Nationally, economic and indirect benefits would result in landfill gas having a value of over $10/million Btu to the U.S. Unfortunately, regulatory barriers exist despite a precedent of 13 active landfill methane recovery plants in operation at present in California, New Jersey, and New York.

• OSTI ID: 6416544
• Journal Information: Butane-Propane News; (United States), Vol. 12:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
CALIFORNIA
RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITIES
MATERIALS RECOVERY
ECONOMICS
METHANE
RECOVERY
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
COST
SANITARY LANDFILLS
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY
REGULATIONS
SIZE
TRANSPORT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
ALKANES
ENERGY FACILITIES
FEDERAL REGION II
FEDERAL REGION IX
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
090122* - Hydrocarbon Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
320604 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Municipal Waste Management- (1980-)