The City of Albuquerque is using innovative ways to convert waste products into useful energy at its closed Los Angeles landfill.

 Pilot Landfill Gas to Energy Project

• A gas-to-energy system converts a portion of the landfill gas to energy. The remaining gas is burned in a flare. Both processes destroy harmful greenhouse gases. 

• The material in landfills generates methane gas as it decomposes. Rather than simply allow that gas to seep into the atmosphere, the City of Albuquerque has installed systems to collect the methane gas.

• Methane is collected using an extraction system that consists of gas wells installed deep inside the landfill. Collection lines connected to the wells bring the methane to the flare station or energy facility.
• The electricity that is generated by the microturbine is used to offset the power needed to run the methane gas extraction system and a groundwater remediation system. 

 Capturing Landfill Gas

• The installation of a landfill gas extraction system at the former Los Angeles Landfill (new Balloon Fiesta Park's RV parking) was the first of its kind in New Mexico.

• Landfill gas removal diminishes the potential for landfill contaminants to travel as a gas and dissolve into ground water.
• It also protects the public's health and safety from the potential for these gases to concentrate in enclosed areas where harmful vapors could be inhaled or an explosive situation could occur. 

• A second landfill gas capture system has been installed at the City's active landfill, Cerro Colorado landfill. Methane is pumped to a flare station, where it is burned in a process that is less damaging to the environment than allowing the gas to naturally seep off.

Wastewater to Energy

In the late 1980s, Albuquerque won national acclaim for converting its sewage stream into electricity to operate the liquid waste plant.

The process, known as cogeneration, uses methane gas produced by the wastewater treatment process to generate the electricity and heat needed to operate the Southside Plant on Second Street SW. Learn more about cogeneration at the Southside Plant.

The Southside Plant generates about half of its own power needs, and saves about $70,000 a month in energy costs. Read more >>

How does it work?

Anaerobic digesters, operating 24/7, convert organic waste removed during the sewage treatment process into methane. The methane produced is used to fuel for large diesel engines that drive electrical generators, which produce 6.6 megawatts of electrical power. The heated water from the engine cooling systems is used to warm the digesters and some buildings on the plant site.