Feasibility Studies To Support Landfill Gas Recovery In Ghana

Abstract

According to World Bank Ghana generates 0.09 kg of solid waste per person per day, where there are only 4 engineered landfills in the country. In 2010, Ghana contributed to 0.13% of global greenhouse gases emissions, 10% of which was associated with waste sector. On the other hand, according to the World Bank in 2011, 39.5 % of Ghana’s population did not have access to electricity. Tapping landfill gas will not only provide portion of needed energy for the country, but will also help solve many of the environmental problems. Currently there is no landfill gas to energy project in Ghana. The objective of this thesis was to study economic feasibility of landfill gas to energy project in two landfills in Ghana, Tema and Temale. To conduct the study, methane generation potential was estimated based on site specific data and waste acceptance history for each landfill using landGEM, IPCC and UTA-CLEEN models for conventional and bioreactor operations. The electricity generation potential was then estimated based on the modeling results. A preliminary gas collection system was designed for cost analyses purposes. Also, sensitivity cost analyses was conducted for both landfills using LFG-cost WEB model.Based on the cost analyses results, Temale lfg to energy project is not currently economically favorable. Installation of a microturbine at the Tema site operating as a bioreactor and perpetual landfill, provides estimated average annual power of 13.2 million kWh, with an average payback time of 3 years.