Sunshine Energy Park Landfill Gas Project

Sunshine Energy Park Landfill Gas Project is a landfill gas recovery operation located at Sunshine Energy Park in Albion, approximately 15 kilometers west of the Melbourne CBD. Registered in March 2025, the project is situated on a 54-hectare site that serves as a significant post-industrial landmark in the Brimbank municipality. The area is historically defined by heavy industry and quarrying, but is currently transitioning into a major recreational precinct under the Brimbank City Council's "Vision Plan."

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology credits the reduction of emissions by capturing methane generated from decomposing legacy waste, specifically waste deposited prior to July 2012 or after June 2014. The captured gas is combusted, typically through flaring or electricity generation, converting potent methane into carbon dioxide, which has a significantly lower global warming potential. This specific project involves recommencing gas collection operations at the closed landfill, where a previous power generation system ceased activity in 2009 due to declining gas volumes.

Environmentally, the site lies on the Victorian Volcanic Plain, characterized by heavy basaltic clay soils and "floaters" (volcanic rocks). The region typically experiences lower rainfall than Melbourne’s eastern suburbs due to the rain shadow effect of the Otway Ranges. The landfill itself fills a former basalt quarry, a common land-use history for this geological region. The Council's current management involves strict environmental monitoring of groundwater and residual gas to ensure safety for the future community hub envisioned for the surface.