Methane-to-energy
The use of captured methane-rich gas as fuel for electricity, heat or vehicles, or its upgrading to pipeline-quality gas.
Example
A landfill operator may run engines on collected gas and export the electricity to the local grid.
The catch
Burning the gas still releases CO₂, so the benefit depends on how much methane is collected and destroyed.
Related terms
Methane, Anaerobic decomposition, Anaerobic digestion, Biogas, Biomethane, Composting
In more depth
Methane-to-energy, explained.
Methane-to-energy schemes make gas collection pay, since electricity or fuel sales can fund wells and maintenance at sites where a flare alone would be a pure cost. Upgrading the gas to biomethane for the grid or for vehicles requires extra cleaning to remove CO₂ and contaminants.
Claims often blend separate benefits. Destroying the gas is the main climate gain. Displacing fossil electricity or gas is a separate one, reported as avoided emissions and dependent on what the energy replaces. Engines go offline for maintenance, and a backup flare should handle the gas while they are down. A well-run scheme still sits low on the waste hierarchy, because energy from rotting food is a consolation prize for food that should not have been wasted.