February 5, 2002

Vancouver City Council today approved a unique, sustainable energy project at the Vancouver Landfill.

The Landfill Gas Utilization Project would involve burning landfill gas from the site to generate electricity and heat at an existing greenhouse in Delta. The project is unique in Canada because it will recover heat in addition to generating electricity, which increases the environmental benefits by more than 50 per cent.

Landfill gas is produced when garbage breaks down in a landfill. It consists of 50 per cent methane and 50 per cent carbon dioxide. (Household natural gas is 95 per cent methane.) The Vancouver Landfill presently produces about 30 million cubic metres of landfill gas annually (or 2,000 cubic feet per minute). This gas is collected and burned at the Landfill to reduce greenhouse emissions and to control odour. Some of the landfill gas is also used to heat the administration building at the site.

The total energy available from the gas is 500,000 gigajoules/year (equivalent to the energy requirements of 3,000 to 4,000 households). The project will result in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of at least 30,000 tonnes per year (equivalent to the annual emissions produced by 6,000 automobiles).

The proposal would see the City working with Maxim Power Corporation, whose proposal was one of five submitted last year. Electricity generated through the project would be sold to B.C. Hydro by Maxim. The City would receive a portion of the revenues from electricity and heat (estimated at about $250,000 to $300,000 per year). These revenues would be used to reduce the operating costs of the Landfill.

The Landfill Gas Utilization Project is expected to be fully operational in 2003.

Media enquiries:

Chris Underwood
Transfer & Landfill Operations Branch
604-940-3203

(c) 2002 City of Vancouver