Do LFG energy projects reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
The decomposition of organic wastes generates methane, a greenhouse gas and a primary component of LFG. Many landfills with LFG energy projects are subject to Clean Air Act regulations (40 CFR part 60 subpart WWW) known as the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and are required to install and operate LFG collection and control systems.2 According to LMOP’s database as of April 2009, there are approximately 450 landfills with LFG energy projects in place. Of these sites, approximately 60 percent are subject to the collection and control requirements of the NSPS. For the landfills with LFG energy projects in place that are not subject to the NSPS, the presence of an LFG energy project represents the voluntary collection and control of LFG. This results in the reduction of emissions beyond what is required by EPA standards.
