Swanbank Landfill Gas Upgrade Project

Swanbank Landfill Gas Upgrade Project is a waste emission reduction initiative located within the Swanbank industrial precinct, approximately 10km southeast of Ipswich, Queensland. Registered in September 2021, this project represents an evolution of long-standing waste management operations at the site. The project operates within the Remondis-managed landfill facility, which is situated in an area historically defined by open-cut coal mining and heavy industry.

The project utilizes the "Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas" methodology. This involves capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas released by decomposing organic waste, and combusting it in a generator to produce renewable electricity. By upgrading the existing collection system, the proponent, LMS Energy, aims to increase capture efficiency and generation capacity, preventing methane from venting into the atmosphere while displacing fossil-fuel-based power from the grid.

The Swanbank region experiences a humid subtropical climate with average annual rainfall between 800mm and 900mm. The local soil profile is heavily disturbed due to the site's history as a mining void turned landfill; however, the surrounding native landscape typically consists of Vertosols (cracking clay soils) and texture-contrast soils common to the Ipswich sedimentary basin.

An interesting aspect of this facility is its integration into the broader "Swanbank Renewable Energy Park." The site has been a significant bioenergy hub for over a decade, with LMS Energy and Remondis collaborating to generate enough baseload renewable power for approximately 1,200 to 1,600 homes annually. The project highlights the transition of the Swanbank precinct from a traditional coal-power history toward a modern clean energy hub.