Molendinar Landfill Gas Project

Molendinar Landfill Gas Project is a landfill gas capture and combustion project located at Molendinar, a suburb of the Gold Coast in Queensland, approximately 10km northwest of Surfers Paradise. It was registered in July 2014. While the exact project area is undefined on the registry, the project operates specifically within the local Molendinar waste facility. The broader regional land use is predominantly urbanised and industrial, integrating local waste management infrastructure with surrounding suburban residential properties.

Landfill gas methodology projects involve installing infrastructure to capture and combust methane gas generated by decomposing organic waste within a landfill. By converting methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, into carbon dioxide through flaring or electricity generation, these projects safely manage the gas and prevent it from being released directly into the atmosphere.

The Gold Coast environment is characterised by a sub-tropical climate experiencing high rainfall, which typically peaks during the spring and summer storm seasons. Soils in the Molendinar area are generally derived from fine sedimentary rocks, while the surrounding coastal plains and hinterlands feature a mix of clays, sands, and alluvial deposits.

This transitioning project originally operated under a revoked Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) method before varying to the 2015 Landfill Gas methodology, and then varying again to Compilation No. 1 in September 2021. It actively continues to capture gas generated from both legacy and non-legacy waste. The project is operated by the proponent, LMS Energy, in partnership with the City of Gold Coast. The Molendinar biogas flaring facility abates approximately 3,300 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions. Additionally, the project secured a carbon abatement contract in April 2017, and this contract (CAC873169) was successfully completed in June 2022.