California’s Flawed Landfill Gas Rule Precludes Waste-to-Energy Projects

May 2nd, 2011 by Susan Kraemer



An accidentally regressive 1992 law on the books in California makes it very difficult to tap landfill gas to make energy. Back then the Public Utilities Commission passed a regulation all but prohibiting “injecting California landfill gas into pipelines” according to the Sacramento Bee.

The gas emitted by decomposing matter in landfills can be used to make energy onsite. Just not as much. At Sacramento’s Kiefer Landfill, gas produces 14 megawatts of electricity, enough to light 8,900 homes. Tim Israel, who oversees the Kiefer power plants, told the Sacramento Bee that twice as much electricity could be generated if he could pipe the gas directly to SMUD or some other utility.

The waste is enormous, in a state that counts landfill gases as renewable. One estimate is that 11 GW of potential energy could be had from landfill gas in the state – if it was legal to inject it into pipelines. (California has 74 GW of total energy production from all sources instate.)

California pipelines are not pristine places. Benzene and toluene, both carcinogens, are also permitted in pipelines. Vinyl chloride – the chemical that prompted the law, is also present in digester gases – which are legally allowed to be injected in California pipelines. (The chemical mostly breaks down in the pipeline.)

The issue is not that landfill gases are not allowed in the pipeline. Landfill gases can be sent from another state through California pipelines. But they may not be injected into the pipeline from a landfill within California.

Attempts have been made to change the law. In 2009, the CEC was presented with detailed evidence for the law’s overhaul, and asking that the law be amended to only cover hazardous waste landfills.

Susan Kraemer@Twitter

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