Patho Landfill Gas Upgrade Project

Patho Landfill Gas Upgrade Project is a landfill gas project located at Patho, approximately 30km west of the major regional centre of Echuca in northern Victoria. Registered in July 2024, the project operates within the Patho Landfill facility, which is owned by Veolia and serves the Campaspe Shire and surrounding regions. The project upgrades the site's existing gas collection infrastructure to increase the efficiency of methane capture from both legacy and non-legacy waste.

Landfill gas projects involve the installation or improvement of wells and piping systems to extract methane generated by decomposing organic waste. In an "upgrade" project like this one, the proponent enhances the existing system to capture gas that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere. The captured gas is then combusted, either via a flare or a generator to produce renewable electricity, converting the potent methane into less harmful carbon dioxide.

The surrounding Patho and Torrumbarry region is part of the Riverine Plains, a significant agricultural area known for dairy farming, irrigated cropping, and grazing. The environment is characterised by a semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 400-480mm. The local soils are typically composed of alluvial clay loams and heavy clays (often Vertosols or Sodosols), which are characteristic of the Murray River floodplains.

The project proponent, LMS Energy Pty Ltd, is Australia's largest landfill biogas company and manages the gas operations at the site. LMS Energy creates its own specialised flaring and gas skid technology, often utilizing Jenbacher generators for power conversion at their larger sites. By capturing this gas, the project reduces the facility's greenhouse gas emissions and mitigates the risk of lateral gas migration and odour issues.