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Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP)

List of Tools Related to Landfill Gas and Waste Management

LMOP LFG Energy Tools

LFGcost–Web – Landfill Gas Energy Cost Model thumbnailLFGcost-Web (October 2020) – Evaluates the initial economic feasibility and environmental and job creation benefits of a landfill gas (LFG) energy project through a user-friendly Microsoft® Excel platform. Analyses performed using LFGcost-Web are considered estimates and should be used for guidance only.

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Flow Rate Estimation Tool (RNG Flow Tool) (January Thumbnail of RNG Flow Tool 2018 2020) – Calculates the adjusted flow rate and heat content value of LFG after a wellfield is adjusted to meet an inlet nitrogen specification for RNG treatment or processing. The Tool serves as a screening guide to help landfills quickly estimate normalized gas flows for RNG projects.

LFG Energy Benefits Calculator (December 2020) – Estimates the direct methane, avoided LFG Energy Benefits Calculator thumbnail carbon dioxide and total greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions attributable to an LFG energy project for the current year, calculated from the project size entered by the user. Based on the estimated emission reductions, the tool provides environmental equivalency values to put the reductions in more relatable terms, such as acres of forests or gallons of gasoline. Based on the project size, it also estimates an energy benefit value in terms of homes powered or homes heated.

Interactive Conversion Tool (XLS)(1 pg, 229 K) Interactive Conversion Tool thumbnail(April 2016) – Conducts unit conversions, such as standard cubic feet per minute to million standard cubic feet per day or short tons of methane to million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. Also estimates LFG energy potential from an MSW landfill, for example, megawatt capacity from tons of waste-in-place.

Excel files can be viewed with the Free Microsoft Excel Viewer.

International LFG Models Exit – Several country-specific LFG generation models were created to help landfill owners and operators and other interested parties evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of collecting and using LFG for energy recovery in international locales.

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Other EPA LFG Tools

Biogas Toolkit (August 2020) – EPA’s Biogas Toolkit serves as a centralized knowledge hub for biogas project stakeholders. The toolkit is designed to allow stakeholders to search and browse for information and resources that meet their specific project needs. It includes tools and resources compiled from several EPA programs, including AgSTAR, LMOP and the Global Methane Initiative.

Landfill Gas Emissions Model (LandGEM), version 3.03 (June 2020) – This model was developed by the EPA Office of Research and Development-National Risk Management Research Laboratory, and the Clean Air Technology Center. It estimates total LFG and methane generation, as well as emissions of carbon dioxide, non-methane organic compounds, and individual air pollutants from MSW landfills. Model results can be used to estimate the recoverable methane available for a potential LFG energy project. LandGEM can also be used to determine if a landfill is subject to the control requirements of the federal New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for MSW landfills, the emission guidelines for MSW landfills, or the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for MSW landfills. In addition to the LandGEM version 3.03 Excel file, users should also download the "ReadMe First" file and User’s Guide, which contain key information necessary to properly operate the model.

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EPA Integrated Solid Waste Management Tools

Waste Reduction Model (WARM) (March 2016) – EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery created WARM to help solid waste planners and organizations track and voluntarily report GHG emission reductions from several different waste management practices. WARM calculates and totals GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices – source reduction, recycling, anaerobic digestion, combustion, composting and landfilling.

Municipal Solid Waste Decision Support Tool (MSW DST) Exit (Annual) – EPA's Office of Research and Development-National Risk Management Research Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy developed this comprehensive tool to aid solid waste planners in evaluating the cost and environmental aspects of integrated MSW management strategies. The tool enables users to simulate existing MSW management practices and conduct scenario analyses of new strategies based on cost and environmental objectives. MSW DST includes multiple design options for waste collection, transfer, materials recovery, composting, waste-to-energy, and landfilling.

Managing and Transforming Waste Streams: A Tool for Communities (September 2016) – EPA Region 9 developed this planning tool that features a table of 100 measures communities can employ to reduce waste and recover materials. The tool can help local and tribal governments learn how to shift their community’s solid waste stream away from disposal and toward waste reduction, materials reuse and recovery. Planners can learn about measures such as ordinances, incentives and outreach and discover more than 250 real implementation examples from several U.S. communities. The tool is available in both web and spreadsheet format.

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