News
9 February, 2025
Esk’s carbon cuts
Somerset Regional Council’s promise to reduce carbon emissions has been realised, with carbon cutting infrastructure at Esk Refuse and Recycling Centre and Landfill (ERRCL) installed and fully operational.
The partnership between Somerset Regional Council and LGI Limited (LGI) will deliver extraordinary environmental results and help Council achieve its emissions reductions targets, at no cost to ratepayers.
LGI will recover biogas from the ERRCL and reduce methane emissions via a flare unit. This carbon abatement approach is measurable, immediate and irreversible.
The project saw LGI install 26 vertical gas extraction wells, six lateral wells and connect 1.7 kilometres of pipes to the flare unit.
It’s estimated emissions from the Esk landfill can contribute 60 to 80 per cent of Somerset Council’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
The ERRCL continually emits methane as a byproduct of anaerobic decomposition of buried waste. Methane is 28 times worse as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
The partnership is at no cost to Somerset Council, who will receive a share of the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) revenue generated by the project.
LGI will operate and maintain the carbon cutting infrastructure at the Murrumba Road site, delivering optimal gas extraction and carbon abatement.
LGI also has the technology to convert biogas extracted from landfills into renewable energy.
Somerset Mayor, Jason Wendt said the partnership with LGI follows through on its 2022 commitment to investigate emissions reduction opportunities.
“Council is always looking for cost effective ways to reduce its emissions and the partnership with LGI will help us get there,” he said.
Partnerships with multiple Queensland councils have allowed LGI to reduce (CO2e) emissions by more than 4.7 million tonnes, which is the equivalent of planting 77.9 million seedlings for the next decade.
LGI CEO, Jarryd Doran, said the partnership with Somerset Council will deliver long term, meaningful environmental outcomes.
“Landfill gas capture systems reduce harmful emissions and decrease odour emissions,” Mr Doran said.
This carbon-cutting technology is set to help the Australian Government’s commitment to slash emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.
