The Geelong Advertiser
By: Jessica Craven
The council will begin tests later this year to determine the feasibility of the program, which aims to harness the landfill gas to deliver power into the electricity grid.
Councillor Tom O'Connor said the system would dispose of landfill gas (a high percentage of which is methane) currently captured within the site, in an environmentally friendly manner.
The estimated quantities of gas to be treated would be equivalent to reducing 33,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide-emission per year or taking 9000 cars off the road. "The reality is that we haven't acted quickly enough to date, but that's all the more reason to start making things happen to protect our environment," Cr O'Connor said.
If the results of the testing program are positive, a power-generation facility would be constructed at the site to feed green electricity into the grid.
About 60,000 tonnes of rubbish is dumped at Drysdale tip every year, with that number expected to double when the Corio tip closes in 2009.
Cr O'Connor said green energy was the way of the future.
"The Bellarine Peninsula is perfectly positioned to lead the way with smart environmental thinking," he said.
A second energy project is under way on the Bellarine Peninsula, with Singapore-based company Atlantis Power Resources trialling a tidal-power generator in the Rip off Queenscliff.
The company is expected to ask the State Government to help pay for the installation of the unit, which if approved, could be operational in 30 days.