Methane International

Important Late-Breaking Expo Developments:

Indian Minister of Environment Jairam Ramesh to Deliver Keynote
Expo's Methane Marketplace To Feature 140+ Projects

With less than a month before the Methane to Markets 2010 Partnership Expo begins in New Delhi, momentum continues to build, promising that this year's event will be the world's largest forum for methane projects, technology, financing, and policy.

India's Minister of Environment and Forests and Member of the Indian Parliament, Shri Jairam Ramesh, will deliver the Expo keynote address on 3 March 2010. Mr. Ramesh is a widely respected political figure and author of a number of government policies in India's environment, energy, and industrial sectors. He has played a key role representing India at international climate negotiations.

The Expo's Methane Marketplace will be bustling in New Delhi. In an unprecedented display of enthusiasm for methane capture opportunities, the Methane Marketplace will be featuring more than 140 project opportunities and success stories in all sectors from more than 20 countries.

Don't miss your chance to attend the Expo and take advantage of these exciting opportunities. The Methane to Markets Administrative Support Group (ASG) has made the most up-to-date information on the 2010 Partnership Expo and several resources for attending, traveling, and participating in this event available online:

• Information on Partnership Expo Sponsorship opportunities, which will raise the profile of your organization and includes free exhibit space, entrance tickets, and many other benefits.
• The preliminary agenda (PDF, 19 pp., 417 KB), which lists events taking place during the Expo.
• India's travel and visa requirements for foreign visitors.
• Details on the Expo's site visits, which will highlight projects on the ground.

Achievements Reported in First Partnership Accomplishments Report

Methane to Markets has completed its fifth year. To mark this milestone, the ASG compiled the first Methane to Markets Partnership Accomplishments 2004-2009 (PDF, 52 pp, 2.6 MB) report. This report documents the Partnership's growth from 14 Partners in 2004 to 31 in 2009 and details the Partnership's successes. It summarizes Partner and Project Network member collaboration on more than 170 methane capture and use projects and activities. The report provides details on 80 events held by the Partnership in 23 countries, as well as Partnership activities that generated $84 million in direct project funding and leveraged an additional $350 million in private financing for capacity building and project development. It also illustrates how Methane to Markets' projects have not only led to a reduction of 27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, but also fostered international collaboration on important climate and energy developments.

Almost $4 Million in Grants Awarded to International Methane Projects

At the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010, the U.S. EPA awarded $3.9 million in funding to support methane capture and use projects and stimulate clean energy development across all four Methane to Markets sectors. Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, and Russia received the awards , ranging from $20,000 to $700,000. The projects will include training and capacity building, development of databases and information clearinghouses for potential sites, feasibility studies, technology transfer, and project expositions. Since the Partnership began five years ago, the U.S. EPA has awarded nearly $13 million in grants to 70 methane emission reduction projects.

Grant Funding Available for Methane Projects in 2010 – 15 April Deadline!

Continuing its commitment to support projects that reduce methane emissions, the U.S. EPA announced a new round of grant funding for Methane to Markets projects. Up to 35 projects are anticipated to receive grants ranging from $100,000 to $750,000, with an estimated total award of $5 million.

Successful proposals will support the Partnership's goals of reducing methane emissions and advancing project development in the following Methane to Markets Partner countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Additionally, the U.S. EPA is accepting proposals from developing countries or countries with economies in transition that are in the process of applying to join the Partnership, as long as the ASG receives an acceptable letter of intent before the proposal deadline. Funded projects are scheduled to begin in October 2010 and extend for up to three years. The U.S. EPA must receive applications no later than 15 April 2010. Visit the U.S. EPA's Methane to Markets Web site for more information.

Global Update on Landfill Gas Events

Methane to Markets ushered out 2009 and ushered in 2010 with numerous landfill gas (LFG) workshops and site visits in both Partner and non-Partner countries. These events included the following:

• Methane to Markets participated in LFG workshops and landfill site visits in Ukraine and Russia. In Khmelnitsky and Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, Methane to Markets representatives assisted with workshops focusing on LFG project operations and management for landfill operators at municipal facilities. In Moscow, organizers held a workshop for municipal officials, energy developers, and landfill owners to learn about LFG and potential LFG energy projects. Representatives from the Methane to Markets Partnership also met with environmental officials in Novokuznetsk, Russia, to discuss ongoing cooperation on Methane to Markets efforts in the agriculture, coal, and landfill sectors.
• In Manila, Methane to Markets and the Philippines' Department of Science and Technology organized a workshop to provide an overview of LFG energy projects. Methane to Markets and the Thailand Ministry of Environment's Pollution Control Department co-organized a similar LFG energy workshop in Bangkok, Thailand.
• In Novi Sad, Serbia, Methane to Markets sponsored Strategic Waste Management Planning in South Eastern European, Middle East and Mediterranean Region , an ISWA Beacon Conference. U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) presented on the Methane to Markets Partnership and on the basics of LFG and financing an LFG project.
• In Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. EPA's LMOP held its annual Conference and Project Expo . Eight sessions focused on topics such as financing LFG energy projects, technical issues surrounding LFG energy projects, international activities, and updates on the impacts of new greenhouse gas and regulatory initiatives. One session was dedicated to international activities. Ivano Conte from Pangea Green Energy presented on "LFGE in Italy and the Philippines—Comparison of Approaches, Challenges and Lessons Learned." Paul Procee and Charles Peterson from the World Bank presented on "LFGE Development by the World Bank in Brazil," and Alex Stege from SCS Engineers presented on "LFG Models in Mexico and Ukraine- Improved Estimates of Methane Emission."

Recent Developments

• AES Climate Solutions Enters Partnership to Develop Carbon Reduction Project. In November 2009, AES Climate Solutions Asia entered into a partnership with Shenzhen Dongjiang Environmental Renewable Power Company Ltd. and Songzao Coal and Electricity Company Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Chongqing Energy Investment Group, to invest, construct, and operate a coal mine ventilation air methane (VAM) project. This project, located at the Datong Coal Mine in Chongqing Municipality, will be one of the first commercially operating facilities of its kind in China. It is expected to start operations by the end of 2010 and eventually reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 200,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. This partnership is part of the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program.
• Gazprom Holds Environmental Safety Conference. In November 2009, Gazprom held a workshop on Environmental Safety in the Gas Industry in Moscow, Russia. More than 150 people from 11 countries attended the event, which focused on how to improve environmental performance in gas systems, with a particular emphasis on climate change and reducing vented and fugitive methane emissions. The conference was sponsored by Methane to Markets and the ASG provided a summary of Methane to Markets' activities in the oil and gas sector.
• MSW Management Publishes LFG Article. In the November–December 2009 issue of MSW Management , U.S. EPA LMOP staff published "Working Internationally to Foster LFG Energy," describing work being done internationally to promote LFG projects. The article describes the importance of bringing industry, national governments, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders together to remove barriers to the development of methane reduction projects.
• New International Energy Agency Publication. In December 2009, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published "Coal Mine Methane in Russia: Capturing the Safety and Environmental Benefits," (PDF, 70 pp, 2.6 MB) which discusses the potential for utilizing coal mine methane emissions in Russia. The report is one of a series of informational papers published by the IEA to highlight specific opportunities for cost-effective reductions of methane from oil and natural gas facilities, coal mines, and landfills.

Send in your announcement for our next issue. Also, visit the news and events page for information on past Methane to Markets gatherings.