Pennsylvania is known for its natural beauty, filled with mountains, waterfalls, plateaus, hills and ridges. Thanks to landfill gas-to-energy projects in the state, like the one at the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority (GLRA) Landfill, Pennsylvania residents are able to enjoy their public lands with less concern about harmful pollution.
Landfills are one of the largest sources of methane in the world. The GLRA Landfill Gas Collection and Combustion Project benefits climate change strategies by reducing the amount of methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. As waste breaks down in landfills, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) that is far more potent than carbon dioxide and a major contributor to global warming. In addition to methane, landfills generate carbon dioxide, and high numbers of other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Capturing the gas makes a direct impact on human health conditions and air quality in the surrounding area.
This project serves the 26,000-person community of Lebanon and improves area health conditions by destroying the majority of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) on site. The methane emissions are combusted in two 1.6MW generators, creating an affordable source of renewable energy. GHG emissions of more than 250,000 tCO2e are avoided during the project’s lifetime. Additionally, the GLRA landfill is home to the Renewable Energy Education Center, which hosts students, teachers and community groups to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of clean energy resources to industrial and institutional facilities.
PROJECT TYPE: Landfill gas capture
LOCATION: Lebanon, Pennsylvania
STANDARD: Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)
RELATED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs): This project contributes directly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations:
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action by countries in global partnership to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Co-benefits
The GLRA landfill project generates an annual 15,000 MWh of renewable energy.
Project activity directly reduces the existence of on-site HAPS, which pose threats to public health such as respiratory irritation, central nervous system damage, and cancer.
Operation of the GLRA landfill project employs a professional engineer, staff engineer, and a landfill gas technician. As new team members come on board, on-the-job training is provided as opportunities arise.
