From Landfill Gas to Jetfuel
University of Sydney researchers have pioneered a groundbreaking chemical method utilizing plasma to transform methane gas from landfills into sustainable jet fuel. This innovation holds promise for establishing a low-carbon aviation sector.
The process not only addresses environmental concerns but also offers a dual solution by potentially repurposing all global landfills into energy reservoirs if it proves cost-effective and widely applicable.
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, poses a significant environmental threat with its concentration in the atmosphere surpassing pre-industrial levels by two-and-a-half times. The steady increase in methane emissions, primarily from waste and fossil fuel combustion, underscores the urgency for mitigation efforts.
Australia’s recent participation in an international methane mitigation agreement signals growing global recognition of the issue.
Lead author Professor PJ Cullen from the University of Sydney’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering emphasized the significance of their innovation. He highlighted that while modern landfill facilities already harness their gas emissions for electricity generation, their process yields a more environmentally beneficial and economically valuable outcome.
Global landfill emissions, estimated at 10–20 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, rival those of the entire energy sector. Considering aviation’s contribution to emissions—around 3% globally—the prospect of utilizing landfill methane for jet fuel production presents a promising solution.
The proposed process involves extracting methane from landfill sites through methane wells, which provide an ideal composition for the conversion process.
Professor Cullen explained that non-thermal plasma technology, driven by electricity, enables the conversion of methane into value-added products at low temperature and atmospheric pressure. This approach minimizes energy consumption, aligning well with renewable energy sources.