UBCM Community Excellence
Awards 2005
RECOVERY OF LANDFILL GAS FOR SMALL
SCALE ELECTRICAL GENERATION
City of Kelowna
Environment and Solid Waste Division
Gas Recovery at Kelowna’s Landfill
The City of Kelowna is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
achieving sustainability by actively participating in energy reduction programs and
conducting research into new energy initiatives. In keeping with these goals, the City has
recently launched a pilot project at its Glenmore Landfill that will collect landfill gas and
convert it to electricity, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, saving electricity costs and
generating revenue in future years.
In June 2004, representatives of the City of Kelowna’s Solid Waste Division
attended a conference in California on landfill innovation and were introduced to the
concept of landfill gas combustion and conversion to electricity using microturbine
technology. This technology is in use in the United States, where energy costs are greater
than in British Columbia.
A consultant with CH2MHill, who has worked for the City of Kelowna since
2000, was found to be very familiar with microturbine technology having previously
been involved in a pilot project (A Natural Resources Canada- CANMET Project) at the
City of Calgary (Shepherd Landfill). In discussions regarding the City’s comprehensive
plan for Glenmore Landfill, it was decided microturbine technology would work well at
Kelowna’s landfill. Located in the Okanagan Valley’s semi-arid climate, the landfill
services a population of approximately 160,000. The landfill size, waste conditions and
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potential for landfill gas generation make the selected site an ideal candidate for a
microturbine pilot project.
In early 2003, as part of the Glenmore Landfill’s comprehensive management
plan, horizontal landfill gas collection pipes were installed. This collection system was
created to enable the Glenmore Landfill to burn off, or flare, the gas in an effort to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions (and other air contaminants) and in anticipation of provincial
waste management decisions that may require gas control for environmental, health and
safety, regulatory compliance.
City Council endorsed the pilot project that could reduce greenhouse gas and
eliminate the potential for odour generation by finding a use for gas that previously
dissipated ambiently. The City entered into an agreement with CANMET Energy
Technology Centre (CETC), part of Natural Resources Canada. The microturbine trailer
will be leased for $10/ year for a period of three years. The CETC portable trailermounted microturbine power system was built in 2002 through funding provided by
Environment Canada’s Climate Change Program. It consists of a single Capstone 30kW
microturbine system (biogas configured), complete with a landfill gas processing package
for fuel gas compression and treatment. It will be connected to the horizontal LFG
collection system and, through a power purchase agreement, be connected to FortisBC
with bi-directional metering. The microturbine converts landfill gas (by combustion in
turbine) into electricity, effectively destroying the methane which is a potent greenhouse
gas. With the addition of a flare station expected later this year, virtually all greenhouse
gas emissions will be eliminated from the landfill.
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FortisBC is working with the City of Kelowna on this pilot project, agreeing to
purchase excess electricity generated from the microturbine at five cents per kWh for a
period of three years. FortisBC is hoping their participation in the project will enable an
examination of the efficacy of this technology for small scale electrical generation. This
is the first project converting landfill gas to electricity involving FortisBC in the
province.
The City of Kelowna has both the financial and technical resources required to
undertake this project over the minimum three-year term requested by CETC. Last year,
the City hired a new landfill gas technician who will be responsible for the daily
operations of the landfill gas control system, including operations and planned research
and development projects like the microturbine pilot project. A service provider familiar
with microturbine technology will be available to City staff.
The electrical interconnection for the microturbine trailer is directly adjacent to
the current leachate pumping facility and future blower/flare facility at the base of the
landfill. The site for the trailer is easily accessed for onsite operation and maintenance
requirements.
In its current capacity the microturbine unit is expected to generate over 80 per
cent of the annual electrical needs for landfill operations, using just six per cent of the
available landfill gas in the area (approximately 15 of the 350 standard cubic feet per
minute, or scfm, anticipated from 1 million tons of waste). The leachate pump station is
the main power consumer on the landfill and requires approximately $15,000 in power
per year to operate (leachate results from water collecting contaminants as it trickles
through waste).
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The City is anticipating $20,000 in operating and maintenance costs per year for
the microturbine trailer. Start-up costs were approximately $15,000 including consultant
and commissioning fees.
With just one microturbine potentially saving the City $15,000 to $20,000 per
year in electrical costs, the City is already looking at expansion possibilities. Currently
there is capacity in the trailer for three more microturbines which, if operating at
maximum efficiency, could generate enough electricity to power 300 homes, still only
utilizing a fraction of the available landfill gas. As Phase 2 and 3 of the comprehensive
plan for the landfill are complete, even more landfill gas could be tapped.
Potential now also exists to use waste heat from the microturbine for other
operations such as a greenhouse, or to develop partnerships to look at other technology
involving accelerated gas recovery and greater power generation. If the project proves
successful, the City could look at a long-term contract with a power utility, creating and
selling electricity. Gas or electricity could be exported for institutional or industrial use,
as well. A further benefit with on-site electricity generation is the elimination of the
possibility of brown-outs at the landfill.
The microturbine project may also offer a unique opportunity for the University
of BC Okanagan to establish partnerships with the City of Kelowna on greenhouse gas
emission reduction and alternative energy applications and projects. UBCO has recently
announced a new Engineering School and is expanding its campus which will be located
only a few kilometres southeast of the Glenmore Landfill. Future project partnerships
which may directly evolve from this microturbine project could include providing direct
energy or fuel to supplement the University campus energy load.
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As a public entity the City of Kelowna is prepared to provide technical
performance and project information to other public entities, industry and consultants
alike. CETC has firsthand access to data through the web-based monitoring link set up
with the City and onsite analysis of landfill gas through scheduled reporting on the
project.
The Microturbine Gas Recovery Project is up and running now and will be
closely monitored over the three year term. Microturbine technology is new to BC and it
is uncertain if the waste to energy project will have continued economic viability in the
future, which is based upon equipment upgrades and long term utility contracts. But the
spirit of the undertaking is perfectly in keeping with the City of Kelowna’s continued
emphasis on creating a sustainable, thriving, innovative community.
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RECOVERY OF LANDFILL GAS FOR SMALL
SCALE ELECTRICAL GENERATION
City of Kelowna
Environment and Solid Waste Division
Above left: The microturbine is housed in this trailer and connected to a network of horizontal
gas collector pipes.
Above right: The microturbine burns landfill gas, virtually eliminating greenhouse gas
emissions in the process, and converts the gas to electricity.
Below: The network of horizontal gas collector pipes will enable landfill gas to be utilized (as
converted electric energy or heat) or flared to eliminate greenhouse gas.
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