Brooklyn Landfill Gas Project

The Brooklyn Landfill Gas Project is a landfill gas generation project located in the industrial suburb of Brooklyn, approximately 12 kilometers west of the Melbourne Central Business District in Victoria. Registered in December 2012, the project operates on the site of the former Brooklyn Landfill (often associated with the address 159 Bunting Road), which historically accepted solid inert and domestic waste before ceasing active landfill operations around 2018. The site is situated within a heavily industrialised zone known for waste management and resource recovery activities, distinct from the surrounding residential and commercial land uses of the wider Melbourne area.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology credits emissions reductions achieved by capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas released during the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste, and combusting it to generate electricity. By converting methane into carbon dioxide and energy, the project prevents it from entering the atmosphere. The project facilities have historically included power generation infrastructure with a capacity of approximately 2.8 MW, contributing renewable energy to the local grid while managing environmental compliance for the site.

Environmentally, the Brooklyn area lies on the Victorian Volcanic Plain, characterized by heavy basaltic clay soils derived from ancient lava flows. This region is notably drier than Melbourne's eastern suburbs, situated in a "rain shadow" with an average annual rainfall of approximately 400–500 mm. These heavy soils and lower rainfall conditions historically influenced the management of leachate and gas migration at the site.

The project has undergone significant administrative and operational transitions. Originally contracted under the Emissions Reduction Fund in 2015, the project successfully completed its fixed delivery contract in September 2022. In March 2025, the project proponent formally changed from EDL LFG (VIC) Pty Ltd to Brooklyn Hub Pty Ltd as trustee for Brooklyn Hub Trust, aligning with broader site rehabilitation and redevelopment efforts led by Western Land Reclamation. The site itself has a complex history regarding odor management and environmental monitoring, making the continued extraction of landfill gas a critical component of its ongoing remediation strategy.