Caloundra Landfill Gas Project

Caloundra Landfill Gas Project is a waste-to-energy initiative located at the Caloundra Waste Management Facility on Pierce Avenue, approximately 6km west of the Caloundra city center in Queensland. Registered in December 2013, the project operates within the Sunshine Coast region, an area characterized by a mix of rapid peri-urban development, coastal conservation zones, and light industrial land use.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology incentivizes the capture of methane, a potent greenhouse gas released by decomposing organic waste, which is then combusted to generate renewable electricity. By converting methane into less harmful carbon dioxide and displacing fossil-fuel-generated power in the grid, the project achieves significant emissions reductions. The system involves a network of extraction wells and pipes that channel gas to a generation unit, specifically treating gas from both "legacy" (pre-scheme) and "non-legacy" waste deposits.

Environmentally, the Sunshine Coast region experiences a humid subtropical climate with high annual rainfall (averaging over 1,400mm). This climate is particularly relevant to landfill operations, as moisture accelerates the decomposition of organic matter, thereby increasing the volume of biogas available for capture. The local soil composition in the Caloundra area is predominantly sandy loam and coastal sands, which generally allows for high infiltration rates.

The project is a long-standing partnership between the proponent, LMS Energy, and the Sunshine Coast Council. Notably, the facility was reportedly constructed at no cost to the council and generates enough electricity to power approximately 1,200 homes annually. It has a mature regulatory history, having transitioned through the original Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) rules to the 2015 and eventually 2021 methodology variations. The project successfully completed a Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC668305) in 2022, demonstrating a verified track record of delivering carbon abatement.