The Model can be used to estimate landfill gas generation rates from SWD sites, and potential landfill gas recovery rates for disposal sites that have, or plan to have, gas collection and control systems and are located in Central or Eastern European countries. The Model also may be used for SWD sites in other countries which experience similar site conditions and climate, and have waste composition data.

Global Methane Initiative’s (GMI) International Best Practices Guide for Landfill Gas Energy Projects provides a broad overview of the development process for LFGE projects in international settings and presents the technological, economic and political considerations that typically affect the success of LFGE projects. The goal of the guide is to encourage environmentally and economically sound LFGE projects by connecting stakeholders with available information, tools and services. The guide is not intended to provide a step-by-step protocol for project development.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Biogas Toolkit serves as a centralized knowledge hub for biogas project stakeholders. The toolkit is designed to allow stakeholders to search and browse for information and resources that meet their specific project needs. The toolkit includes information and resources compiled from across several EPA programs, including AgSTAR, the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), and GMI.

In March 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – as a lead partner in the Waste Initiative – conducted a waste characterization study at the municipality’s transfer station. The study indicated that approximately 69% of the waste handled at the transfer station could be recycled or otherwise diverted from the landfill, and that more than half of the waste could be used as feedstock in composting or anaerobic digestion projects. The municipality is using the results of the study to inform decision making about the project design and procurement options.

The Biogas and Gasification Matchmaking Platform facilitates networking among international providers and users of biogas and bio-methane technologies. Developed by the Digital Global Biogas Cooperation (DiBiCoo), the online platform acts as a database of biogas and gasification related stakeholders.

The platform:

• Connects biogas technology providers, project developers, and investors
• Assists with finding the most suitable companies for collaboration
• Helps to identify the best technologies for projects
• Increases the visibility of companies working in the biogas and gasification sectors
• Enables markets in developing and emerging countries to import sustainable biogas and biomethane technologies

Get started by joining the platform. With your free account, you can explore companies, business opportunities, and the knowledge base.

National and subnational governments face many challenges to implementing organic waste diversion and treatment projects. One major obstacle is securing financing for the projects’ capital investment and operation costs. The Financial Readiness Framework for Organic Waste Management (the Framework), developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in support of the Global Methane Initiative (GMI), provides high-level practical guidance to help stakeholders understand the process for financing organic waste management projects, mitigate potential investment risks, and improve the bankability of projects.

The Framework is intended primarily for national and subnational governments, as well as private sector project developers. Throughout this Framework, “project developers” refers to public or private sector actors or public-private partnerships. While some suggested best practices may apply specifically to either the public or private sector, as a whole this resource summarizes broadly applicable measures for project financial readiness.

 Financial Readiness Framework for Organic Waste Management

In 2024, the U.S. EPA, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and in support of the aims of the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) Biogas Subcommittee, hosted a four-part training series: Best Practices on Landfill and Organic Waste Management. The training focused on proven approaches and case studies for dumpsite closure and remediation; sanitary landfill construction, operation, and maintenance; organic waste treatment; feedstock management; greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement, reporting, and verification; and useful tools and resources. The training was initially delivered to implementers of the Bahawalpur Integrated Solid Waste Management project in Pakistan, but the training materials are broadly applicable to national and subnational decision-makers and policymakers, waste professionals, waste facility operators, and project developers.

Session 1: Methane and Landfills on 28 October 2024

Session 2: Methane Mitigation Through Best Practices for Organic Waste Treatment on 29 October 2024

Session 3: Managing Feedstock – Best Practices for Solid Waste Source Separation on 30 October 2024

Session 4: Evaluating Methane Emission Reductions and Other Benefits of Organic Waste Management Projects on 31 October 2024

U.S. EPA recently updated its Methane Mitigation Technologies Platform, a useful resource that provides information on key methane emissions sources in the oil and gas industry, as well as measurement methodologies, technologies, and common industry practices to reduce methane. This platform reflects experiences and lessons learned from the U.S. EPA’s Oil & Gas Voluntary Methane Programs and may be useful to other countries and companies looking to reduce methane emissions in the oil & gas sector.

Coal mines are one of the largest sources of anthropogenic methane emissions. As the world produces more coal, coal mines get deeper every year, and methane emissions grow with increasing mining depth. Mine operators also abandon old coal mines, which still emit methane into the atmosphere. The U.S. EPA, in collaboration with the Global Methane Initiative and several other organizations, co-authored this paper that presents projections of global methane emissions from coal mining under different coal extraction scenarios and with increasing mining depth through 2100. The study estimates methane emissions from underground and surface coal production while accounting for the increase in mining depth using several new and compiled data sets. The results show that total methane emissions from coal mining are higher than suggested by previous studies. More importantly, methane emissions from the growing number of abandoned mines increase faster than methane emissions from existing mines. Abandoned mine methane emissions continue through the century even with aggressive mitigation actions. The study concludes that future methane emissions are significantly higher than those in previous studies and that methane resources at abandoned mines will grow regardless of future coal production. This research provides insights for improving future emissions inventories.

This pre-feasibility study was completed to determine the feasibility of a coal mine methane (CMM) capture and utilization project at the San Juaquin Mine. Specifically, this study aimed to evaluate the technical and economic viability of methane drainage utilizing vertical pre-drainage boreholes drilled from the surface and in-seam pre-drainage boreholes drilled from within mine workings, and to identify end-use options.