As Australia’s waste sector continues to evolve, landfill gas management is becoming complex, requiring councils to balance environmental obligations, energy opportunities and long-term financial outcomes.
For Logan City Council in Queensland, the impending expiry of its long-running landfill gas agreement at the Browns Plains Landfill presented an opportunity to rethink how the resource could be managed into the future.
The council engaged Ethos Resources to facilitate the procurement process for a new landfill gas management contract at the site, ensuring the facility could continue to capture methane, generate value and maintain effective management as the landfill approaches the later stages of its operational life.
For two decades, landfill gas at Browns Plains has been managed by EDL, which pioneered the capture of landfill gas and its use as a renewable energy source through gas engines. The project resulted in a 2MW landfill gas power station, exporting electricity to the grid and creating a revenue stream through both electricity generation and carbon credit sales.
However, with the existing contract due to end in March 2027, Logan City Council needed to ensure the next phase of landfill gas management delivered strong environmental outcomes while maximising value for the community.
Ethos Resources director Joel Harris said the procurement process involved navigating a range of technical, commercial and regulatory challenges.
“Landfill gas projects have become increasingly complex,” Harris said. “Councils need to consider not only the operational requirements of extracting and managing gas, but also the changing carbon credit landscape, future landfill closure requirements and how they can maximise the value generated from these assets.”
One of the key challenges at Browns Plains was ensuring the future landfill gas system remained fit for purpose as the site moves towards closure, which is expected around 2032-34. While landfill operations eventually cease, landfill gas generation continues for many years after closure. Ongoing extraction and management infrastructure remains critical.
Ethos Resources developed a procurement package designed to address the long-term needs of the site. The process required detailed financial analysis and comparison of highly technical submissions, translating complex engineering, energy and carbon market information into a format that supported clear decision-making.
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Ethos Resources’ broader work includes supporting councils and organisations with procurement, feasibility assessments, financial analysis, risk management and project delivery across resource recovery and renewable energy projects.
A major opportunity identified through the Browns Plains process was the potential to increase electricity generation capacity. The existing system operated with approximately 2MW of generation capacity, but Ethos assessed opportunities associated with network constraints and upgrades that could allow expansion towards 3MW, along with consideration of emerging technologies such as battery energy storage systems.
“The objective was not simply to replace an existing contract,” Harris said. “It was about creating a structure that allowed Council to capture more value from the landfill gas resource while ensuring the system could adapt as the landfill changes over time.”
The successful procurement outcome delivered many benefits for the council, including an improved revenue-sharing arrangement and a contract structure that reduces financial exposure for the council while ensuring the landfill gas system continues to be operated, maintained and expanded.
A 15-year agreement was secured to align with the 12-year crediting period under the new landfill gas Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) methodology. This provides greater certainty for both Logan City Council and the contractor, allowing investment decisions to be made with a longer-term view.
The Browns Plains project was built on Ethos Resources’ experience supporting landfill gas projects across Australia, including work with Clarence Valley Council in New South Wales. Through that project, Ethos supported Council in achieving a new approach to landfill gas management at the Grafton Regional Landfill, resulting in upgrades to methane capture infrastructure and improved environmental outcomes.
The Grafton project involved the installation of 12 vertical gas extraction wells, five gas collection lines and more than 800 metres of underground pipework connected to an enclosed flaring unit. The upgraded system has improved methane capture while allowing the council and the community to benefit from the generation of ACCUs.
The project demonstrated how landfill gas management can provide both environmental and financial benefits, with captured methane converted from a liability into a measurable emissions reduction opportunity.
For councils, these projects highlight the increasing importance of taking a strategic approach to such assets. Rather than managing the gas as an operational requirement, councils are recognising the opportunity to use these resources to reduce emissions, generate renewable energy and create long-term community value.
Ethos Resources said the Browns Plains project demonstrates the importance of combining technical understanding with commercial expertise when managing complex waste infrastructure.
“[These types of] projects sit at the intersection of waste management, renewable energy, carbon markets and long-term asset planning,” Harris said. “Successful outcomes require an understanding of all those areas and the ability to bring them together in a practical solution for councils.”
As landfill sites across Australia mature, the need for effective gas management will only increase. Projects such as Browns Plains and Grafton show how councils can use specialist advice and innovative procurement models to turn this gas from an environmental challenge into a long-term opportunity.