Modeling landfill gas potential and potential energy recovery from Thohoyandou landfill site, South Africa
Creators: name: Njoku, Prince Obinna
name: Edokpayi, Joshua Nosa
name: Odiyo, John Ogony
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Biotechnology
subject: 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
subject: 39999 Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: Science Policy
subject: 111714 Mental Health
subject: FOS: Health sciences
subject: FOS: Health sciences
subject: Plant Biology

description: The increase in solid waste generation has been a major contributor to the amount of Greenhouse gases (GHGs) present in the atmosphere. To some extent, a great chunk of these GHGs in the atmosphere is from landfill. This study assesses two theoretical models (LandGEM and Afvalzorg models) to estimate the amount of landfill gas (LFG) emitted from Thohoyandou landfill site. Also, the LFGcost Web model was used to estimate the cost and benefits of the implementation of an LFG utilization technology. The Thohoyandou landfill started operations in the year 2005 and it is proposed to reach its peak at approximately in the year 2026. The LandGEM calculates the mass of landfill gas emission using methane generation capacity, mass of deposited waste, methane generation constant and methane generation rate. Meanwhile, the Afvalzorg model determines the LFG emissions using the Methane correction factor, yearly waste mass disposal, waste composition, Degradation Organic Carbon, methane generation rate constant, LFG recovery efficiency. The study findings indicate that the methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emitted from the landfill estimated from LandGEM will peak in the year 2026 with values of 3517 Mg/year and 9649 Mg/year, respectively. Results from the Afvalzorg model show that CH<sub>4</sub> emission will peak in the year 2026 (3336 Mg/year). The LandGEM model showed that the total LFG, CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> emitted from the landfill between 2005 and 2040 are 293239.3 Mg/year, 78325.7 Mg/year and 214908.6 Mg/year, respectively. The simulation from the Afvalzorg model found that the CH<sub>4</sub> emitted from the years 2005– 2040 is 74302 Mg/year. The implementation of an LFG utilization technology was economically feasible from consideration of the sales of electricity generated and Certified Emission Reductions (CER) (carbon credits). The methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emitted from the Thohoyandou landfill estimated from LandGEM will peak in the year 2026 at 3517 Mg/year and 9649 Mg/year, respectively. The Afvalzorg model shows that CH<sub>4</sub> emission will peak in the year 2026 (3336 Mg/year). The LandGEM model showed that total LFG, CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> emitted from the landfill between 2005 and 2040 (Mg/year) are 293,239, 78,325 and 214,908, respectively. The simulation from the Afvalzorg model found that CH<sub>4</sub> emitted from years 2005– 2040 is 74,302 Mg/year. Therefore, implementation of LFG utilization is economically feasible from sales of electricity generated and Certified Emission Reductions.