Performance analysis of energy recovery in an Italian municipal solid waste landfill

The objective of this paper is to assess the techno-economic viability of the use of fuel cell as an alternative
technology for landfill gas energy recovery. The case of an Italian municipal solid waste landfill is
analyzed. The landfill was opened in 1998 and in 2001 the energy recovery facility started operation. The
current landfill gas conversion system is based on internal combustion engine technology. However, the
drawbacks of internal combustion engine in terms of conversion efficiency and air emissions are widely
acknowledged. Some authors have proposed molten carbonate fuel cell as one of the most interesting
solution for landfill gas energy recovery for the near future. Fuel cells have proven capable of providing
superior energy efficiency and environmental performance, but their widespread use is constrained by
the capital cost required. Using actual data from the landfill, a comparison between the current energy
recovery system and a hypothetical alternative solution based on molten carbonate fuel cell is performed.
The analysis assesses the cost-effectiveness of the two solutions, considering also some environmental
externalities usually not included in traditional economic assessment. The main strengths and
weaknesses of the two landfill gas energy recovery systems are highlighted and some new insights into
molten carbonate fuel cell overall sustainability are provided.