Mugga Lane Landfill Gas Project

Mugga Lane Landfill Gas Project is a landfill gas operation located at the Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre, approximately 10km south-east of Canberra's city centre in the Australian Capital Territory. The project was registered in November 2012 and operates within the bounds of the ACT’s primary waste disposal facility. While the immediate site is an active industrial landfill, the surrounding region is characterized by a mix of nature reserves, such as the Red Hill Nature Reserve, and peri-urban grazing land.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2015. Landfill gas projects involve the installation of gas collection systems, comprising wells and pipes, into the waste mass to capture methane generated by decomposing organic matter. This methane, which would otherwise vent into the atmosphere, is combusted (flared or used for electricity generation) to convert it into carbon dioxide, a less potent greenhouse gas. The project transitioned from an earlier 'CFI' legacy waste method and continues to abate emissions from both legacy and non-legacy waste.

The Canberra region experiences a temperate, subtropical highland climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 600mm to 800mm. The local environment is defined by clay-based soils, often classified as Kurosols, which can be prone to waterlogging but are characteristic of the Molonglo Valley and surrounding tablelands.

An interesting aspect of the Mugga Lane site is its significant role in local energy generation; the captured gas is utilized to generate renewable electricity, capable of powering thousands of homes in the ACT. While EDL LFG (ACT) Pty Ltd is the listed proponent for this specific carbon project, the physical gas-to-energy facility has been associated with significant expansion works and operations by partners such as LGI Limited to increase renewable energy output for the territory.