Power Production and Methane Reduction with a Resource Recovery Facility Located at a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill

Abstract Description: Landfills are under pressure to maximize their capacity and function in the midst of climate change and sustainability initiatives. A local municipal solid waste landfill has combined multiple goals by constructing and operation of a co located Material Recovery Facility (MRF), Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facility and the Compost Management Unit (CMU). At the same time, the facility delivers renewable power to the grid with best available control technology and best practices for residuals of water and compost. The MSW landfill with power production and potential odiferous AD and CMU operation has a Title V operating permit with many significant conditions. Both operations will reduce organic content in the MSW and subsequent methane emissions. The facility is in coastal canyon of Southern California burns landfill gas and AD biogas in two advanced burn engines with fuel gas pretreatment operations to meet strict air permit discharge limits. The operations of the multiple moving parts at the MSW landfill have overcome significant commissioning and environmental (fire, wind and rain) challenges over the past few years to meet its eventual goal of renewable power and life extension of the landfill. The presentation of this case study will look to provide thoughts on opportunities for other landfills with similar operations throughout the United States.