Vancouver Landfill Gas Project

Print This Page

Ever wonder what happens to your garbage once it leaves your home? If you live in the Lower Mainland, it may end up at the City of Vancouver Landfill in Delta. And, as it decomposes, its gaseous by-products may be used to generate electricity.

As garbage decomposes, it emits landfill gas (LFG) — roughly 50% methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. Until recently, the Vancouver Landfill has collected, then "flared" or burned the LFG, releasing the less potent greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

IPP Maxim Power Corp. saw an opportunity. "We've entered into an agreement with the City of Vancouver to purchase the LFG," explains Rick Hopp, Maxim's Senior Vice-President, Business Development. "Instead of flaring it, the gas is cooled, compressed, then transported through a three-kilometre pipeline to our generating facility, where is it burned in reciprocating engines to generate electricity." As a further benefit, the heat released from the engines is used to provide hot water heating to the CanAgro tomato greenhouse next door. This means that CanAgro will rely less on fossil fuels to heat the greenhouse.

This innovative project received the Federation of Canadian Municipalities-CH2M HILL Sustainable Community Award last May.

The Vancouver LFG project began generating electricity in early September. Initially, it will feed about 40 gigawatt hours of electricity per year into BC Hydro's grid. However, this amount will soon be increasing, as Maxim will be expanding the facility and selling an additional 15 GWh/year to BC Hydro.