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Mark Bourn Environment Agency REGULATING LANDFILLS USING MEASURED METHANE EMISSIONS
Landfill Aftercare Forum Thursday 9 June 2016
REGULATING LANDFILLS USING MEASURED METHANE EMISSIONS Mark Bourn - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
REGULATING LANDFILLS USING MEASURED METHANE EMISSIONS Mark Bourn - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Landfill Aftercare Forum Thursday 9 June 2016 REGULATING LANDFILLS USING MEASURED METHANE EMISSIONS Mark Bourn Environment Agency Content Can we quantify methane emissions from landfills? How could we use methane emission measurements to
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Differential Absorption Lidar - DIAL Tracer gas dispersion Unmanned aerial vehicles - UAVs
Measuring methane emissions
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DIAL Differential Absorption LiDAR
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DIAL Technique
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Tracer gas dispersion method
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Unmanned aerial vehicle method
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How can we use the methane emission measurements?
Generated
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How can we use the methane emission measurements?
Generated
Emitted Collected Oxidised
CH4 generated = CH4 oxidised + CH4 emitted + CH4 collected
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Generated Oxidised Emitted Collected
Landfill methane balance
Not known - can be modelled but not measured Not known - no standard whole site method Not known - but can be measured Known - routinely measured
CH4 generated = CH4 oxidised + CH4 emitted + CH4 collected
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Use the known methane collection rate with the measured rate of methane emissions Calculate a methane collection index – MCI MCI = CH4 collected /(CH4 emitted + CH4 collected)
Methane collection index
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Measured methane emissions
500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 A B C D E F G H I J K L J-DIAL J-TG M-DIAL M-TG N-TG O-TG 1 O-TG 2 Methane emission kg/hour
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Measured methane emissions and collection
500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 A B C D E F G H I J K L J-DIAL J-TG M-DIAL M-TG N-TG O-TG 1 O-TG 2 Methane emission kg/hour Methane collection kg/hour
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Methane collection index
500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 A B C D E F G H I J K L J-DIAL J-TG M-DIAL M-TG N-TG O-TG 1 O-TG 2 Methane emission kg/hour Methane collection kg/hour
0.28 0.76 0.40 0.85 0.82 0.43 0.28 0.47 0.62 0.62 0.73 0.79 0.84 0.90 0.57 0.68 0.65 0.64 0.73
MCI = CH4collected /(CH4emitted + CH4collected)
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How can we use the methane collection index for regulation?
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00 J K L J-DIAL J-TG N-TG O-TG 1 O-TG 2
MCI
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Annual methane emission measurements
Modern permits already contain this requirement
Flexibility on the measurement method Calculation of the methane collection index Comparison of the MCI to a limit An action plan for improvements in landfill gas management
Possible regulatory approach
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Closed sites Sites with active landfill gas collection Methane oxidation Variation in methane emissions Setting a limit for the MCI
But would this approach improve landfill regulation?
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Can we quantify methane emissions from landfills?
Yes, but further validation work is needed
How could we use methane emission measurements to regulate landfills?
Combining the emission with the rate of collection gives an effective measure of performance
Conclusions
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Would using methane emission measurements improve landfill regulation?
Yes, this could provide a significant contribution to reducing methane emissions from landfills But we need to understand the variability in emissions Could support rather than replace the current approach to regulation
Conclusions
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