Shoalhaven Landfill Gas Project facts for kids

The Shoalhaven Landfill Gas Project is a special power plant in Nowra, New South Wales, Australia. It uses gas from a landfill (a big rubbish dump) to make electricity. This project helps turn waste into useful energy.

The power plant started working in February 2002. It is owned by the Shoalhaven City Council, which also owns the landfill. The company AGL Energy runs the gas collection and power plant. This project is expected to get gas from the landfill for about 15 years.

How Does the Plant Make Energy?

What is Landfill Gas?

Landfill gas is a mix of gases that forms when rubbish breaks down. It mostly contains methane and carbon dioxide. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. If it just escapes into the air, it can harm our planet.

Collecting the Gas

The Shoalhaven project has 55 special wells dug into the landfill. These wells are up to 15 metres deep. They collect the landfill gas. About three kilometres of pipes connect these wells to the power plant. More wells might be added in the future to collect even more gas.

Turning Gas into Electricity

The collected landfill gas is sent to a large engine. This engine is a 1.1 MW Deutz engine. When the gas burns in the engine, it creates energy. This energy then powers a generator to make electricity. The plant can run 24 hours a day if there is enough gas.

Powering Homes and Helping the Environment

Sending Power to the Grid

The electricity made at the plant is first at 415 volts. Then, it is boosted to 11,000 volts. This higher voltage allows it to connect to the local power network. From there, it goes to homes and businesses.

Reducing Greenhouse Gases

Using landfill gas to make electricity is good for the environment. Methane, a main part of landfill gas, is a strong greenhouse gas. By capturing and burning it, the project stops it from going into the atmosphere. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The project also helps by making clean electricity. This means less electricity needs to be made by burning coal, which creates a lot of pollution. In 2006, the project was expected to reduce greenhouse gases by about 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent each year.

Working Together for a Cleaner Future

This project shows how different groups can work together. Shoalhaven City Council and AGL Energy partnered up for this. The New South Wales Government also helped. AGL invested $1.9 million in the plant, and the NSW Government gave $150,000. This teamwork helps create cleaner energy and protect our planet.