The key question is whether such growth will continue into later years. The LMOP also believes that there are good opportunities to increase the performance of existing operational projects. Often utilization systems are sized well within existing methane flow rates so that significant quantities of excess methane are either flared or vented to the atmosphere. There continues to emerge a variety of innovative technologies that are cleaner and more efficient, enabling projects to realize greater monetary and environmental returns. For example, the City of Albuquerque recently formed a partnership with AlliedSignal Power Systems on the first landfill gas application of Allied's new 75 kW micro turbine.
Fuel cells are another promising technology.
The fuel cell acts like a battery as the methane gas is passed through the unit. This technology remains at the demonstration scale for landfill gas applications. Most promising sites should have the opportunity to develop some type of project. However, an industry deficit is the lack of good data and supporting information to made available to project developers and interested energy users. The LMOP provides data tracking of operational, flaring, and potential projects as one means to provide this information in an open forum.