From the roof of our office building at Businesspark in Niedernberg, looking east, we can see the first elevations of the picturesque Spessart mountain range. In north-western direction there are fields, meadows and – sometimes when the wind blows in an unfavourable direction we rather smell than see it – a landfill. Linde Gas and the US-American landfill operator ‘Waste Management’ have teamed up to prove that such ‘garbage mines’ have far more potential than just teaching us a lesson on our throw-away society. At the Altamont Landfill just outside Livermore, CA, natural gas is generated from decomposing trash. It goes without saying that we as the partner agency of Linde Material Handling are watching this prestige object of its former affiliated company with increased interest.

In order to be economically profitable, the landfill has to ‘be large to produce enough gas and have the right temperatures, moisture, and type of garbage to support methane-emitting bacteria’. When all factors are given, a system of compressors, pipes, filters and condensers separates the methane gas from a mixture of other gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulphur which develop during the decomposition process, too. Then it is super-cooled to 162°C and transported to local fuel stations. The technology itself has been used for decades. The challenge was to downscale the type of plant used at natural gas fields so that it can handle a tenth of the typical natural gas well’s output without losing too much of its efficiency.

During its first year, the facility run by Linde Gas and Waster Management in Livermore has produced 50,000 litres of natural gas a day fuelling a fleet of 350 trucks of the landfill operator. The carbon footprint of such a garbage truck could easily be smaller than that of an electric car, emphasized project officials in their interview with National Geographic. And in addition, the plant keeps 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere each year. In our opinion, this is definitely a pilot project which deserves some attention!
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• Alternative Energie in Joint Venture von Linde Gas und Waste Management
• Linde Material Handling: shining red high-tech which puts a smile on everyone’s face
• Our Christmas present to Mother Nature