Brooklyn Landfill Gas Project

The Brooklyn Landfill Gas Project is a waste-to-energy initiative located in the heavy industrial precinct of Brooklyn, Victoria, approximately 12 kilometers west of the Melbourne CBD. Registered in December 2012, the project focuses on the capture and combustion of landfill gas generated by decomposing organic waste. The facility utilizes a 2.8MW generation capacity to convert harvested methane into electricity, feeding it into the local grid while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology rewards proponents for installing and maintaining gas collection systems, comprising vertical extraction wells and pipe networks, that prevent methane from venting into the atmosphere. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and by combusting it (flaring or electricity generation), the project converts it into carbon dioxide, which has a significantly lower global warming potential. The project has successfully issued over 437,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) since its inception.

Situated on the Victorian Volcanic Plain, the Brooklyn region is characterized by heavy basaltic clay soils, often referred to as "cracking clays," which can present challenges for landfill capping and gas containment. The local climate is temperate but notably drier than eastern Melbourne due to the rain shadow effect of the Otway Ranges, typically receiving around 500-600mm of rainfall annually. The surrounding land use is almost exclusively industrial, historically dominated by quarries, abattoirs, and waste management facilities.

A significant administrative transition occurred in March 2025, when the project proponent changed from the energy operator EDL LFG (VIC) Pty Ltd to "Brooklyn Hub Pty Ltd as trustee for Brooklyn Hub Trust." This shift aligns with broader trends in the Brooklyn precinct, where legacy landfill sites, such as those on Bunting Road which ceased accepting waste around 2018, are moving from active waste management phases toward rehabilitation and potential commercial redevelopment. The site has historically been part of a cluster of landfills known for community concerns regarding dust and odour, prompting significant regulatory oversight and rehabilitation efforts in recent years.