Browns Plains Landfill Gas Project

The Browns Plains Landfill Gas Project is a waste-to-energy initiative located at the Browns Plains Waste and Recycling Facility in Heritage Park, approximately 25km south of the Brisbane CBD in Queensland. Registered in April 2013, the project operates within the Logan City Council area, a region characterized by peri-urban development, light industry, and remnant bushland rather than traditional broadacre agriculture.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology involves capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas released during the decomposition of organic waste, from both legacy and non-legacy waste streams. Instead of venting into the atmosphere, the gas is diverted through a network of pipes to an on-site generation plant where it is combusted to generate electricity. This process not only abates emissions but also feeds renewable energy back into the local grid.

The region experiences a subtropical climate with high rainfall, particularly during the summer months. Local soil conditions are heavily clay-influenced; construction reports from the site indicate the presence of significant onsite clay deposits, which were utilized to create impermeable liners for the landfill cells. The project is operated by EDL LFG (QLD) Pty Ltd and generates enough electricity to power approximately 2,000 homes annually. It has undergone several methodology variations since its inception to align with updated standards and has successfully completed its initial carbon abatement contract.