Shoalhaven Landfill Gas Abatement Facility (Revoked)

Shoalhaven Landfill Gas Abatement Facility (Revoked) was a landfill gas project located at the West Nowra Recycling and Waste Depot, approximately 5km west of Nowra in the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales. The project was originally registered in August 2013 and operated until its revocation in February 2021.

Landfill gas projects involve the installation of gas collection systems, comprising vertical wells and horizontal pipes, into landfill waste masses. These systems capture methane generated by decomposing organic matter, which is then combusted via flaring or electricity generation engines. This process converts methane into carbon dioxide, a significantly less potent greenhouse gas, thereby generating carbon credits.

The Shoalhaven region is characterized by a high-rainfall coastal climate with warm summers and mild winters. The West Nowra site sits within a landscape largely defined by forestry and bushland, bordered by the Nowra State Forest. The local soils are typically sedimentary, often sandy loams or clays derived from the Sydney Basin geology, which supports the surrounding sclerophyll forests.

While this specific project ID (EOP100245) was revoked in 2021, the abatement activities at the site have continued and expanded. The project has a rich history, originally developed with AGL Energy Services, who installed power generation assets in the early 2000s. Ownership of the project proponent role transferred to the Shoalhaven City Council in 2019. Following the 2021 revocation, the Council partnered with LGI Limited to upgrade the gas collection infrastructure and install new flaring systems, ensuring continued emissions reductions and renewable energy generation potential at the site.