Liquid Fuel Production Starts at Surrey Landfill Site

7 July, 2008

A partnership between biomethane specialists Gasrec, gas and engineering firm BOC and waste management company SITA UK is behind a new facility at the Albury landfill near Guildford. The facility can recover around 85% of methane contained in landfill gas emitting from the disposal site, to produce enough liquid fuel to power up to 500 light vehicles or 150 HGVs., Gasrec is aiming to sell its liquid biomethane (LBM) fuel to commercial haulage firms and waste management companies to replace diesel in their vehicle fleets. The fuel runs more cleanly and quietly, achieving up to 70% carbon savings compared to standard diesel.

The technology for liquefying the gas is provided by BOC's parent company, the Linde Group, while BOC will operate the plant, which is expected to have an operational life of around 15 years.

Waste management company SITA, which runs the Albury site as one of two non-hazardous landfills in Surrey, said it believed there was a "big future" in generating fuel from landfill gas. Most landfill gas projects in the UK involve using the gas to power turbines in order to generate electricity.