A Site-Resolved Atlas of Potential, Cost and Carbon Intensity for Green Hydrogen from Landfill Gas in Colombia

Landfills emit biogenic CH4 with which green H2 can be produced. However, in developing countries, its territorial potential is unknown. This study presents the first site-resolved national assessment of that potential, with cost and carbon intensity, for the 248 disposal sites active in Colombia in 2024. The CH4 generation was estimated with a first-order decay model following the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Catalytic reforming and electrolysis projects were evaluated, with Monte Carlo propagation. As a mean over 2026–2040, reforming would produce 74ktH2/yr if these sites keep receiving waste, 45ktH2/yr if they close when the current licenses expire, and 42ktH2/yr in the first case with a conservative reformer efficiency. Electrolysis would yield up to 23ktH2/yr. Thirty landfills concentrated 91bad hbox of the national potential, and 58bad hbox of the H2 via reforming (085bad hbox) cost less than 3USD/kgH2. The CH4 slip proved decisive for the carbon intensity, which reached 0.88kgCO2e/kgH2 for reforming and 2.9kgCO2e/kgH2 for electrolysis. Capturing the biogenic CO2 generated in reforming would reduce its carbon intensity to -4.7kgCO2e/kgH2, provided that CO2 transport and storage exist.