Ipswich Renewable Energy Facility

Grid-connected, renewable
Location: Ipswich, QLD

The site

The Ipswich Renewable Energy Facility is located at Ipswich City Council, Whitwood Road Landfill. The facility comprises of an internal combustion engine utilising landfill gas to generate electricity.

Technology

The specifically designed LMS gas extraction system on the site, which comprises a network of gas extraction wells maintained under vacuum by gas blowers, supplies fuel to the generating system via a gas pipeline. The individual 1 MW generator module is a complete package including transformer, engine, gas blower, gas conditioning, air-cooled radiator package and exhaust muffler system that was pre-commissioned before going to site. The module was installed on site on structural components and connected to gas and electricity followed by select commissioning activities.

"This delivers environmental benefi ts,reducing greenhouse gases and reducing odour at the former landfill site while producing green energy in the process. LMS have to be congratulated for having the foresight to work with this council to turn a dormant area into a project Ipswich can be proud of."
Cr Paul Pisasale, Mayor of Ipswich.

Energy purchase and supply

Electricity is generated at the plant at the 415 volt level and stepped up to 11,000 volts by a transformer and sold into the local electricity grid. The plant is expected to produce about 8,500 MWh of electricity per annum. The generating system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is classified as a market non-scheduled participant under the National Electricity Market. Power generated from the project is sold under a Power Purchase Agreement. The plant is accredited under the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target and the National Green Power Program. Accreditation under the NSW Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme is pending.

Environmental impact

The project is expected to save 46,000 tonnes per annum of greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of landfill gas and the displacement of fossil-fuelled electricity. This is the equivalent benefit of removing 9,000 cars from the road.

Further details

This project was one of the first landfill sites in Australia to engage in trading of carbon credits from the combustion of extracted gas, under the Australian Greenhouse Office's Greenhouse Friendly Program.