Power for Our Planet

Methane gas is a short-lived climate pollutant with a global warming potential 80 times greater than carbon dioxide in a 20-year period. Therefore, by cutting methane emissions, we can have a powerful effect on the urgent climate change problem in a short time frame. Brazil is the fifth largest emitter of methane gas in the world with no mandatory policies regarding capture or destruction of the gas in landfills.

Within Minas Gerais, approximately 500,000 people live and make their livelihoods from working at these dumpsites. These individuals, often called “catadores,” collect recyclable materials from these locations to sell. Regrettably, they frequently work in hazardous and unhealthy conditions.

Uberlândia, the second most populous city in Minas Gerais, is home to over 2 million residents. The city generates 1,200 tons of MSW daily. Only about 50% of this waste is appropriately disposed of in a sanitary landfill, while the remaining 50% is dumped in uncontrolled dumpsites.

The investment in landfill gas projects is substantial, yet income from landfills is not sufficient to pay back the investment, even when income from the sale of electricity is considered. Carbon credits are essential to incentivize the survival of existing landfills and the creation of new ones.

– Geisa Príncipe, Director of Project Research

Project Type: Renewable Energy: Avoided Methane Emissions

Carbon Standard: Gold Standard & CDM

Vintage: 2021-2022

Additionality: The sale of carbon credits was carefully included in the original design of the project and without income from carbon the project is financially insolvent.

Permanence: When methane gas is flared, it is permanently destroyed. Calibrated machines provide an accurate count of exactly how much methane was destroyed.

Site Visit: December 2022

The objective of the Uberlândia landfills I and II is to collect the landfill gas and use it to generate electricity. It has an installed total capacity of 2.852 MW and is comprised of 2 engines. The project is expected to export 421,071 MWh during its lifetime. Uberlândia Landfill is two adjoining solid waste disposal sites (SWDS), named Landfill I and Landfill II. Landfill I stopped receiving waste in 2010 and Landfill II began operating at that time.

Both landfills are being operated under the strictest environmental care. For example, Landfill I was awarded with the Borboleta de Ouro prize, given by the state environment entity, Fundação Estadual do Meio Ambiente – FEAM, as the best landfill of Minas Gerais state.

With the implementation of the project benefits are twofold. First the methane gas that was previously released by the landfill now is collected through the installation of pipelines. Emission reduction is achieved through the destruction of the gas collected in the pipes and distributed to a flaring system and to the power plant. Second, the electricity generated by the project is then exported to the grid, avoiding the generation of the same amount of electricity from fossil-fuel-based power plants in the Brazilian National Grid.

• Prevents emissions of methane gas into the atmosphere
• Improves local air quality and sanitation
• Improves safety: gas is managed rather than subject to a potential explosion
• Creates employment & job training for skilled labor
• Creates electricity for the management of the plant and grid

• Shortage of skilled workers in the region
• Expensive import of specialized technology equipment
• The project requires continuous monitoring of multiple variables such as (noise, emission flares, dangerous wastes, work accidents, leachate, disease transmissions, and more)