Guernsey Mont Cuet landfill gas could power 850 homes

Electricity generated from gas produced by Guernsey's landfill site could power 850 homes.

Mont Cuet, a former granite quarry, has been a landfill site for 15 years and will be available to use until 2022.

Currently gas created by the waste decomposing is collected by 27 gas wells and the gases, a mix of methane and carbon dioxide, are burnt off.

The States is tendering for a contractor and hopes to have the equipment in place by the end of 2014.

Mark Torode, senior manager for operations at States Works, said the gas produced by hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rotting waste at the site was of high quality.

Producing electricity from the gas, which is currently burned off, is expected to last for 10 years

He said landfill was the "least sustainable form of waste management but having anything that helps environmentally-wise is definitely a benefit".

Mr Torode said while he could not discuss the cost of installation during the tendering process, the States hoped to get a return on the investment within five years.

Producing electricity from the gas is expected to last for 10 years.

The States is investigating how to deal with the island's waste before the landfill site fills up, with its current preferred option being more recycling combined with exporting what is left.