Turning Landfill Gas into Energy

An innovative, redesign was planned for a major Mexico City landfill, with the aim of recovering sustainable energy from organic solid waste. The project involves recontouring the surface of the landfill to prevent stormwater infiltration, capping the waste mass, installing leachate recovery and landfill gas collection (LFG) wells, and using the collected LFG to generate electricity.

The landfill, one of the largest in the world, has been historically mismanaged. Leachate leaks into the surrounding environment, and the landfill lacks the means of controlling gas emissions caused by the decay of organic waste.

Rhea staff worked in concert with other consultants to conduct a comprehensive environmental and technical review of the project’s social and environmental risks and the feasibility of its goals. Rhea concluded that the project has strong merit and will effectively reduce the landfill’s greenhouse gas emissions, improve local air quality, eliminate leachate seepage, and offset the need for non-renewable fuels.

Based on Rhea’s conclusions, the project’s main lender, the Inter-American Development Bank, lowered the project’s risk classification, facilitating their loan.

Services: Environmental Services

Industries: Energy + Utilities