Plasma technique converts landfill methane to jet fuel

Global landfill is estimated to produce 10–20 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) per year, comparable to the emissions of the global energy sector according to some studies. While landfills emit a mix of CO2 and methane, the latter is a significantly more potent GHG, giving a warming effect around 80 times that of CO2 over its first 20 years in the atmosphere.

“Globally, landfills are a major emitter of greenhouse gases, mainly a mixture of CO2 and methane,” said Professor PJ Cullen from the University of Sydney’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Net Zero Initiative. “We have developed a process that would take these gases and convert them into fuels, targeting sectors that are difficult to electrify, like aviation.”

“Modern landfill facilities already capture, upgrade and combust their gas emissions for electricity generation, however, our process creates a much more environmentally impactful and commercially valuable product.”