County landfill poised to harvest methane

County landfill poised to harvest methane

By Deborah Nelson
January 3, 2011

A project to harvest and sell methane gas at Santa Rosa’s central landfill is on track to start construction in coming months.

Methane gas is produced by waste materials as they break down. It contributes to carbon emission pollutants responsible for global warming.

County commissioners, December 9, voted to contract with Santa Rosa Renewable I, based in Houston, TX, to move forward with the project.

The company would build the gas collection facility and sell any gas, electricity, or carbon emissions credits produced.

According to the draft agreement, the project may incorporate several possible uses for the gas, including electrical or thermal energy generation, extraction for sale or gas destruction by “flaring.”

Flaring destroys methane by burning it, which converts it to carbon dioxide. Methane has 23 times more greenhouse warming potential than carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, so flaring is considered an emissions reduction. The process is typically used to claim carbon emissions credits per volume of gas burned.

In areas where emissions limit laws are in effect, carbon credits are allotted to polluter companies in specific amounts. If companies exceed their allowed pollution amount, they’re fined.

Companies may buy carbon credits from other firms who don’t use all of their allotment; and use the credits to increase pollution output without government penalty.

Carbon credits are also traded in special markets as securities.

The European Union currently has an emissions control program in place. The United States does not have a large mandatory program, but failed Federal “Cap and Trade” legislation was designed to impose one.

Santa Rosa Renewable will hand the facility over to the County in 20 years, according to the draft contract. However, if the project does not turn out to be profitable they may cease operations at any time with 60 days notice.

Santa Rosa County would receive 10 percent of any gas sales and 15 percent of carbon credit revenues.