Methane International

See You in Krakow!

Partner Country representatives, government leaders, and technical experts from around the globe will gather on 12-14 October 2011 for the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) Partnership-wide meeting. Working with the government of Poland, GMI is hosting the meeting in Krakow. In addition to exciting plenary sessions focusing on the reduction and utilization of methane emissions, the meeting will feature:

• Site tours
• Subcommittee meetings
• Technical and policy sessions
• Networking opportunities
• GMI Steering Committee meeting

Each subcommittee is assembling its technical and policy sessions and will announce more information soon. A preliminary agenda (PDF, 10 pp, 86K) is available.

For more details on the meeting visit the GMI website.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Awards $4 Million in Grants

Continuing its ongoing commitment to advance project development and reduce methane emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded funds for 27 grants in GMI countries. Projects receiving funding include feasibility studies, training and capacity building, and national methane inventories. Recipients were selected from a competitive field of applicants and will support the Initiative's goals of reducing methane emissions and advancing project development in 17 Partner Countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam. The U.S. EPA has awarded over $13 million in grants to more than 70 methane emission projects since the Initiative began six years ago.

New Tools Help China Capture Fugitive Methane Emissions

GMI provided technical guidance to the China National Petroleum Corporation's (CNPC) Research Institute for Safety and Environmental Technologies that resulted in the purchase of equipment to capture fugitive emissions from oil and gas pipelines. The equipment is being used to assess leaks in order to evaluate and adopt cost-effective technologies and practices to reduce fugitive methane emissions. CNPC tools included:

• An FLIR infrared camera for leak detection
• A Testo 350 XL flue gas analyzer to monitor emissions
• A Hi-Flow Sampler (a natural gas measurement system)
• A UE probe leak detector to find air and gas leaks

Landfill Feasibility Study Completed in Ukraine

In April 2011, GMI, with the help of Project Network member Renewable Energy Agency (REA) in Ukraine and U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), completed a feasibility study for the Chernihiv Landfill in Chernihiv, Ukraine. The feasibility study evaluated the economic viability of landfill gas (LFG) collection systems and project implementation for the Chernihiv Landfill, where owners had expressed interest in developing an LFG energy project. The REA performed a pump test and oversaw the installation of a flare to burn collected methane. The feasibility study concluded that the landfill is a viable candidate for an LFG energy project. Currently, the landfill is negotiating to sell the gas to a nearby district heating facility.

GMI Travels to Europe

In June 2011, GMI traveled to Europe to work with organizations in the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany to discuss GMI's expanded scope of methane abatement and to learn more about their climate policies and how GMI and these two partner countries could collaborate.

• GMI representatives travelled to the UK to meet with the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the British Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO), two Partner organizations, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). In addition to discussing cooperation on the new GMI scope and directives, officials discussed DEFRA's recently issued Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan. This plan is an important step to achieve the government's commitment to increase energy from waste through anaerobic digestion, avoid unnecessary barriers, and provide financial incentives for anaerobic digestion projects. Read the Action Plan (PDF, 56 pp, 1 MB) for more information.
• While in London, the GMI representatives also met with The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). GMI learned that EBRD has strong greenhouse gas mitigation mandate and is interested in methane opportunities in several their sectors. GMI is currently exploring different opportunities to work together with EBRD to develop methane projects.
• GMI representatives met with Germany's Ministry of Environment Umwelt Bundees Amt (UBA), KfW Bankengruppe, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (formerly GTZ), a government agency that provides technical assistance to developing nations, to discuss opportunities to assist potential methane capture and use projects. Building on mutual goals and technical expertise, officials aim to find common strategies to reduce future methane emissions. Discussions with all three organizations included the expanded scope of the waste sector and the inclusion of the wastewater sector under GMI.

GMI Outreach

Highlighted below are recent outreach events and workshops.

• In May 2011, GMI participated with Project Network member the World Bank on its final supervision mission for the Livestock Waste Management East Asia project taking place in China, Thailand, and Vietnam. The project's goal is to reduce the negative environmental and health impacts of concentrated livestock production on local water systems. During this trip, GMI also travelled to the Philippines to meet with Partner Country delegates and local officials on methane reduction activities such as trainings and the development of a Philippine Methane Initiative.
• In May 2011, GMI sponsored two agricultural trainings in the Philippines on installation and safety practices for gas handling systems. One training was held at Biotech and the other training took place at Marcela Farms in Bohol, Philippines. The trainings covered four topics: gas handling system components; the different uses for methane, such as electricity and providing hot water; gas handling system installation; and gas handling system operation and maintenance.
• In June 2011, GMI traveled to Changsha, China, to meet with local officials and develop a strategy to begin to implement LFG energy projects in three provinces. In Hunan Province, GMI is working with local officials and organizations to identify barriers to LFG energy projects. Next, GMI will develop a strategy including capacity building and technical assistance to address those barriers so that projects can be successfully developed.
• In June 2011, GMI travelled to Bahia Blanca, Argentina. GMI made a presentation to Bahia Blanca's city council on the basics of LFG and the benefits and opportunities of LFG energy projects. The event, on 27 June 2011, included a presentation by Tom Frankiewicz, of the U.S. EPA's LMOP, on GMI (Spanish only) (PDF, 15 pp, 782 KB). Also presenting at the meeting were Project Network members Asociación para el Estudio de los Residuos Sólidos and SCS Engineers. Also on 27 June, GMI presented at the "Landfill Methane: Clean Energy Source" Workshop hosted by the U.S. EPA in cooperation with the Under-Secretariat of Environmental Management of the Municipality of Bahia Blanca and the Provincial Agency for Sustainable Development of the Province of Buenos Aires. The workshop was held for municipalities in the southern part of the province, and covered the same subjects as the earlier event held with Bahia Blanca's city council. The workshop concluded with a site tour of the Bahia Blanca Landfill. The landfill is working on its own LFG energy project and will be issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to assist with project development. Details on the RFP will be available at the Municipality of Bahia Blanca's website when it is released.
• In July 2011, GMI attended and spoke at the Africa Carbon Forum in Marrakech, Morocco. Government officials from Africa, as well as representatives from GMI, discussed current solid waste management and LFG recovery projects and future initiatives in Africa in hopes of improving current practices and opportunities in GMI Partner countries Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria. On 6 July, GMI hosted a side event, attended by nearly 40 delegates, at which speakers from the United States, Ethiopia, and Nigeria discussed advancing LFG projects and public health benefits by improving solid waste practices. Presentations are available at the Africa Carbon Forum website (see "Side Events" under "Wednesday 6th of July," 9:45-10:45 session).
• In July 2011, Chile's Ministry of Energy and U.S. EPA co-hosted an LFG energy workshop in Santiago de Chile, Chile. The workshop was held directly after the International Biogas Conference and Expo on 29-30 June 2011. The workshop included information on the utilization of LFG and opportunities for methane recovery projects in Chile and was intended for municipalities, project developers, and the biogas industry. The U.S. EPA's LMOP provided an overview of GMI (Spanish only) (PDF, 13 pp, 848 KB). José Luis Dávila from Project Network member SCS Engineers presented on the capture and utilization of LFG (Spanish only) (PDF, 38 pp, 1.4 MB). For more information including the agenda and other presentations, visit GMI's website.

Upcoming Outreach Activities

• On 7 September 2011, GMI along with Serbia's Ministry of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning and the Faculty of Technical Sciences at the University of Novi Sad will co-host the Serbia Landfill Biogas Workshop. The workshop will bring together landfill experts from Serbia and all over the world to discuss the latest research and developments for the implementation of LFG energy projects in Serbia. Presentations will cover GMI activities, Serbia's Methane Action Plan, current research on landfills being conducted at the University of Novi Sad, and technical and financial considerations for LFG energy project development.
• The 22^nd World Mining Congress and Expo will take place from 11-16 September 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey. The theme of the meeting, "Innovations and Challenges in Mining," will provide opportunities for technical and policy discussions, as well as networking. A GMI representative will present on the sources of coal mine methane (CMM), the potential for its capture and reuse for energy use, examples of project development and financing, as well as opportunities within Turkey. Visit the Congress website for more information and details on how to attend.
• On 20-21 September 2011, the 7th International Conference on Biomass for Energy will be held in Kiev, Ukraine. GMI will be presenting two sessions at the conference entitled "Landfill Gas Collection System Design and Operational Considerations" and "Considerations for Municipalities before Issuing Tenders for Landfill Biogas Projects." This two-day conference will discuss biomass resources, research and development of bioenergy technologies, demonstration and market implementation of biomass-to-energy technologies, strategy and policy issues, and economic and environmental issues of bioenergy technologies. Presenters from Russia, Ukraine, and representatives of GMI will discuss the above mentioned topics to promote the use of biomass for energy production and promote sustainable development of bioenergy technologies in Ukraine.
• On 21-22 September 2011 in Donetsk, Ukraine, there will be a Seminar on State-of-the-Art Coal Mine Methane Capture and Use Technologies and UNECE Best Practices Guidance for Effective Methane Drainage and Use Workshop. The two-day event will bring together key experts in CMM recovery and utilization to share information about modern drilling, ventilation air methane oxidation technologies, and methane concentration systems. A GMI representative will attend the seminar.
• The Sixth International Symposium on Non-CO₂ Greenhouse Gases will take place on 2-4 November 2011 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Three central themes will be presented at the Symposium: sources, sinks, and inventories; atmospheric processes; and policy implementation mitigation and adaptation. A GMI representative will be leading a panel discussion addressing global opportunities to reduce methane emissions from wastewater treatment plants. Panelists from Brazil, India, Mexico, and the United States will share strategies while focusing on opportunities to mitigate climate impacts. Visit the Symposium website for more details.

Recent Developments and Resources

• FirmGreen Helps Develop LFG Energy Project in Brazil. In June 2011, Project Network member FirmGreen announced delivery of its proprietary biogas cleaning system to convert biogas to highly purified methane for a landfill near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Novo Gramacho Landfill, featured in the documentary Waste Land , is the site of this new LFG energy project. In 2010, FirmGreen negotiated an agreement with Gás Verde, S.A., the Brazilian company that owns and operates the plant, to turn the LFG into energy using FirmGreen's technology. After installation, the Novo Gramacho Biogas Plant is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.4 million metric tons each year.

Source: FirmGreen, "U.S. Energy Company FirmGreen Creates Jobs, Turning Trash into Fuel," 14 June 2011.