Over 90% of the waste generated in Turkey is sent to landfill sites. Organic processes break down landfill waste, and this process releases the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) into the atmosphere.
While methane molecules don’t stay in the atmosphere for as long as carbon dioxide molecules do, they have a much greater warming effect while they are there. It is estimated that methane accounts for over a third of today’s human influenced global warming, and landfill sites are one of the largest sources of methane emissions worldwide.
Instead of being left to seep into the atmosphere, landfill methane can instead be captured and used as an energy source for generating electricity.
The Kayseri Molu Landfill Gas to Energy Project is a large-scale project to capture the landfill methane released from existing landfill area, and convert it into electricity.
The captured biogas from this project is then used to generate electricity which displaces emissions-heavy fossil fuel energy in the national grid, resulting in emissions reductions. The climate benefits of this project are therefore twofold: preventing the harmful methane from being released into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming; and also displacing fossil fuel-generated energy in the grid. Estimated emissions reductions from this project are around 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
Capturing methane emissions from the landfill also has benefits locally, from reducing odour nuisance to reducing the risk of fires and explosions on-site.