MRL Landfill Gas Upgrade Project

The MRL Landfill Gas Upgrade Project is a waste sector project located at the Melbourne Regional Landfill (MRL) in Ravenhall, approximately 20 kilometers west of Melbourne's central business district. Registered in March 2023, this project focuses on upgrading the gas collection infrastructure at Victoria's largest landfill site. The proponent, Landfill Operations Pty Ltd, is a subsidiary of the major waste management company Cleanaway.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology credits emission reductions achieved by capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas generated by decomposing organic waste, and combusting it to generate electricity. By upgrading the existing collection system, the project increases the efficiency of gas capture, preventing methane from venting into the atmosphere and converting it into a renewable energy source for the grid.

Regionally, Ravenhall is situated on the Victorian Volcanic Plain, an area defined by its flat terrain and heavy basaltic clay soils. The climate is temperate, though the western suburbs generally lie in a "rain shadow," receiving less rainfall than the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay. The immediate land use is heavy industrial, with the landfill itself occupying a former quarry site, surrounded by a mix of industrial precincts and rapidly expanding residential communities.

An interesting aspect of this project is its scale; the MRL accepts a significant portion of Melbourne’s municipal waste. The gas upgrade involves installing new biogas engines intended to double the facility's power generation capacity, potentially supplying electricity to over 15,000 homes. Additionally, the improved gas capture helps mitigate odour issues, a key environmental concern for the neighboring residential developments.