Berkeley landfill will convert methane to electricity

High atop the mountain of garbage that's the Berkeley County landfill, an emerging network of pipes could turn trash into treasure.

The 6-inch plastic pipes started going down through the muck last week. They were the first visible evidence of an ambitious project unveiled in January.

During the next week or so, 50 pipes will be sunk 50 to 150 feet into the garbage pile, avoiding the plastic liner at the bottom. They will pump up methane, the gas that gives the place its distinctive smell.

The county can make money off methane by burning it and by selling it for electricity, according to Water & Sanitation Executive Director Colin Martin.

Burning methane keeps a prime suspect in global warming out of the air. Neutralizing the methane also racks up carbon credits, which can be sold to brokers who service industries looking for ways to offset their own carbon emissions.

Burning methane will also make the landfill smell better, Martin said.

Methane can also power generators that produce electricity. The county has been talking with several potential customers, Martin said.

The county will pay for the project with $2.8 million from the water and sewer department's general fund, Martin said.

Read more in Monday's editions of The Post and Courier.