About the Landfill Methane Outreach Program
LMOP is a voluntary program that works cooperatively with industry stakeholders and waste officials to reduce or avoid methane emissions from landfills. LMOP encourages the recovery and beneficial use of biogas generated from organic municipal solid waste (MSW). Landfill gas (LFG) and other biogas generated from MSW (collectively referred to as biogas) contain methane, a potent greenhouse gas that can be captured and used as a renewable fuel for many end uses including electricity generation, industrial heat applications and vehicle fuel. Capturing and using biogas reduces local air pollution, creates health benefits, generates revenue and jobs in the community and may also offset the use of non-renewable resources.
LMOP forms partnerships with communities, landfill owners and operators, utilities, power marketers, states, project developers, tribes and nonprofit organizations to overcome barriers to project development. LMOP focuses on development of LFG energy projects at MSW landfills, the largest source of methane emissions from the waste sector.
LMOP activities include:
- Providing technical assistance, guidance materials and software to assess the potential economic feasibility of an LFG energy project.
- Developing informational materials about the benefits of renewable energy from biogas generated from MSW, as well as opportunities to reduce emissions from existing MSW landfills.
- Fostering partnerships and identifying financing for biogas projects.
- Creating networking opportunities with peers and renewable energy experts.
LFG Energy Projects
LMOP tracks key data for MSW landfills in the United States. The LMOP Database contains information on LFG energy projects in various stages, shown in the first chart on this page. LMOP classifies each of the 565 operational LFG energy projects by type, as shown in the second chart. Explore these projects on the LMOP National Map.
| Year | Planned Projects | Under Construction Projects | Operational Projects | Shutdown Projects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | - | 42 | 393 | -87 |
| 2006 | - | 51 | 419 | -100 |
| 2007 | - | 52 | 447 | -110 |
| 2008 | - | 56 | 486 | -125 |
| 2009 | - | 43 | 521 | -148 |
| 2010 | - | 61 | 542 | -165 |
| 2011 | - | 51 | 563 | -185 |
| 2012 | - | 35 | 593 | -195 |
| 2013 | 21 | 37 | 611 | -213 |
| 2014 | 17 | 24 | 616 | -235 |
| 2015 | 27 | 19 | 612 | -249 |
| 2016 | 22 | 9 | 604 | -269 |
| 2017 | 28 | 10 | 593 | -289 |
| 2018 | 31 | 19 | 587 | -313 |
| 2019 | 44 | 17 | 580 | -329 |
| mid-2020 | 54 | 11 | 565 | -349 |
| Year | Electricity | Direct Use | RNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 280 | 102 | 11 |
| 2006 | 297 | 109 | 13 |
| 2007 | 315 | 115 | 17 |
| 2008 | 343 | 123 | 20 |
| 2009 | 368 | 126 | 27 |
| 2010 | 389 | 123 | 30 |
| 2011 | 410 | 122 | 31 |
| 2012 | 435 | 124 | 33 |
| 2013 | 449 | 124 | 38 |
| 2014 | 457 | 120 | 39 |
| 2015 | 453 | 118 | 41 |
| 2016 | 447 | 116 | 41 |
| 2017 | 435 | 113 | 45 |
| 2018 | 421 | 106 | 60 |
| 2019 | 413 | 102 | 65 |
| mid-2020 | 399 | 99 | 67 |
Additional Resources
- Learn more about LFG basics
- View information about the benefits of LFG energy
- Learn about international landfill methane activities
- Read a flyer: Landfill Methane Outreach Program and Landfill Gas Energy
- View an overview presentation: LMOP and Landfill Gas Energy in the United States