How long will a landfill continue to produce gas?
The answer depends on the landfill’s age and size. Although gas is produced once anaerobic conditions are established within the landfill, it may be several years before there’s enough gas to fuel an electric generator. Later, as the site ages, gas production (as well as the quality of the gas) declines to the point at which power generation is no longer economical. In the case of a typical well-engineered and well-operated landfill, gas may be produced for as long as 50 to 100 years, but using this to fuel generators may be economically feasible for only 10 to 15 years.
