McRobies Gully Landfill Gas Upgrade Project

The McRobies Gully Landfill Gas Upgrade Project is a waste sector project located at the McRobies Gully Waste Management Centre in South Hobart, Tasmania. The site is situated approximately 4 kilometers southwest of the Hobart CBD, nestled in a valley within the foothills of Mount Wellington (kunanyi). Registered in July 2022, the project operates within an active waste management facility surrounded by a mix of residential zones and cool temperate bushland.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021. The methodology awards carbon credits for capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas released during the decomposition of organic waste, and combusting it to generate electricity. By upgrading the existing gas collection infrastructure, the project proponent, LMS Energy, aims to increase the efficiency of gas capture from both legacy (pre-2012) and non-legacy waste, converting a harmful emission into a renewable energy source that displaces fossil-fuel-generated power.

The South Hobart region experiences a cool temperate climate with reliable rainfall, particularly in the gully's elevated position, which facilitates the anaerobic decomposition required for landfill gas generation. The local terrain typically consists of clay soils over a dolerite base, though the project area itself is defined by engineered landfill cells and capping material.

An interesting feature of this site is its strategic importance to the City of Hobart's "Zero Waste to Landfill" goal; the council has set a target to cease landfill operations at McRobies Gully by 2030. Despite this future closure, the landfill will continue to generate gas for decades, requiring long-term management which this project supports. Additionally, the site has recently hosted trials for converting green waste into biochar, highlighting a broader focus on carbon sequestration and circular economy initiatives at the location.