Our region’s rubbish could lead to future power generation at the Council’s Bluegums Landfill site.

Solid Waste Manager Alec McNeil said the Marlborough District Council had identified a beneficial way to use the gas generated by rubbish as it breaks down in the landfill.

“One of the components in landfill gas is methane. Rather than burning the gas via the onsite enclosed flare we’re looking to convert the methane into electricity by using it as fuel source for a biogas plant,” Mr McNeil said.

Having sought proposals from the market, the Council has selected LMS Energy Pty Limited to progress investigations into this option. LMS Energy has significant experience in power generation from landfill gas across sites in New Zealand and Australia.

Mr McNeil said the first part of the investigation will begin in the next couple of months and will assess the current landfill gas collection system to identify how more gas can be captured. Work will then be carried out to determine if the gas capture is enough to support an onsite generator that will use the landfill gas as fuel to produce electricity.

Mr McNeil said while it’s early days it’s exciting to think that the Bluegums Landfill could, in future, generate power and lower Marlborough’s overall waste emissions profile.

The Council identified the beneficial use of landfill gas as an option in the current Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. For more information about this plan go to: www.marlborough.govt.nz/services/refuse/waste-management-and-minimisation-plan-2021-27

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