Municipal solid waste management and economic feasibility for electricity generation from landfill gas and anaerobic reactors in a Brazilian state

Abstract

This study aims to estimate the potential of the municipal solid waste management consortiums in Minas Gerais for electricity generation from Landfill Gas (LFG) and from anaerobic reactors for organic fractions of this waste. Economic viability studies were conducted for both types of enterprises. Projections for landfill biogas generation were made using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) LandGem® 3.02 software program. Estimates for anaerobic digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste were performed based on theoretical generation from this substrate’s chemical oxygen demand. The power, electricity, and investment values for both projects were calculated, and the respective Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and payback time were also obtained for the various consortiums. The results show that there is economic viability potential for electric energy generation for landfill biogas at the CIAS CENTRO OESTE, CIDES, CISAB Zona da Mata, CONVALE, and CORESAB Boa Vista municipal solid waste consortiums. Electric Energy obtained for the state of Minas Gerais would be about 3,900,000 MWh/year, and the total installed power capacity would be approximately 4500 kW for a Thermal Power Plant (TPP) using LFG for all consortiums. These values were nearly 15,400 MWh/year and 3200 kW for biogas energy derived from the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) anaerobic digestion.