Capture and Combustion of Landfill Gas from Saltwater Creek Landfill, Maryborough, QLD

Capture and Combustion of Landfill Gas from Saltwater Creek Landfill is a landfill gas electricity generation project located at the Saltwater Creek Landfill, approximately 5km northwest of the Maryborough town centre in Queensland. Registered in December 2013 by LGI Limited, the project operates under a long-term contract with the Fraser Coast Regional Council. While the exact project area covers the landfill footprint, the facility is described by the proponent as a "small regional landfill" site that has been upgraded to support significant energy infrastructure.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021, having transitioned from earlier 2012 and 2015 legacy waste methods. The methodology rewards the capture and combustion of methane, a potent greenhouse gas released by decomposing organic waste, which is then converted into carbon dioxide (a far less potent gas) and energy. LGI Limited has installed a biogas management system that feeds a 1.7MW power station, capable of generating dispatchable, renewable electricity for the local grid.

The Maryborough region is historically known for sugar cane cultivation, grazing, and timber industries. The area experiences a subtropical climate with moderate to high rainfall, averaging over 1,000mm annually, which accelerates waste decomposition and gas production. The local landscape consists largely of alluvial plains with soil types characterized by black or grey clay loams and potential acid sulfate soils (hydrosols) typical of the Mary River floodplain.

A key feature of this project is its commercial viability in a regional setting; the proponent notes that the project operates with a 30% regulatory baseline, meaning ACCUs are credited for abatement achieved above this threshold. The facility not only generates carbon credits and renewable power but also significantly improves local air quality by reducing odours and toxic gas emissions. The project successfully completed its initial carbon abatement contract (CAC342427) in early 2022.