West Belconnen Landfill Gas Upgrade Project

West Belconnen Landfill Gas Upgrade Project is a waste sector project located at the West Belconnen Resource Management Centre in Parkwood, approximately 15km northwest of the Canberra CBD in the Australian Capital Territory. Registered on June 11, 2020, the project operates on the site of a former landfill that ceased accepting putrescible waste in the early 2000s. The surrounding region is characterized by an urban fringe interface, bordering the residential suburbs of Macgregor and the Ginninderry development, as well as the conservation corridors of the Murrumbidgee River.

The project operates under the Landfill Gas (LFG) methodology. This specific iteration involves upgrading an existing gas collection system to capture and combust methane generated by legacy and non-legacy waste. By installing new wells and advanced flaring infrastructure, the proponent (LGI Limited) captures methane that would otherwise vent into the atmosphere. The captured gas is combusted, converting potent methane into less harmful carbon dioxide, and is often utilised to generate renewable electricity.

Environmental conditions in the Belconnen district are typical of the Canberra region, featuring a temperate highland climate with distinct seasons. Rainfall is moderate, averaging approximately 600mm to 700mm annually. The local soil profiles are generally characterized as acidic, clay-based textures (often Chromosols or Kurosols), which can be shallow and rocky in the elevated ridges near the river corridor.

LGI Limited manages the site under a long-term contract with the ACT Government. While there is no regulatory requirement to capture gas at this closed facility, the project utilizes the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) scheme to make the abatement commercially viable. The site operates with a baseline of 36%, meaning credits are issued for abatement achieved above this historical capture efficiency level.