Landfill Gas Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Technology (Combustion Engine, Turbines, Others), By Application (Utility Flares, Pipeline-Quality, Process Heater, Leachate Evaporation, Electricity Generation), By Region, By Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 3.08 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	8.88%
Fastest Growing Segment	Pipeline-Quality
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 5.13 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Landfill Gas Market will grow from USD 3.08 Billion in 2025 to USD 5.13 Billion by 2031 at a 8.88% CAGR. Landfill gas is a natural byproduct of the biological decomposition of organic material in waste disposal sites, consisting primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. The market involves the capture and processing of these emissions to generate renewable electricity or upgrade them into renewable natural gas for pipeline injection. The primary drivers supporting this sector include stringent environmental regulations mandating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the rising global demand for sustainable energy security. Additionally, government financial incentives such as tax credits and feed-in tariffs provide essential economic support for infrastructure development, acting as a foundational catalyst separate from technological trends.

However, the market faces a significant challenge regarding the high capital expenditure required for installing gas collection systems and purification facilities. The variability in gas quality and flow rates further complicates the long-term economic viability of projects, particularly in regions with inconsistent waste stream composition. To illustrate the established scale of the industry in leading markets, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, in 2024, there were 542 operational landfill gas energy projects across the United States.

Key Market Drivers

The rising demand for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) in transportation and utilities is a primary force propelling market expansion, as operators increasingly transition from simple electricity generation to high-value gas upgrading. This trend is fueled by the economic valorization of methane through renewable energy credits and the corporate imperative to procure reliable, low-carbon fuels for decarbonizing heavy transport and heating grids. Reflecting this momentum and the industry-wide shift toward pipeline-quality gas production, according to Republic Services, July 2025, in the '2024 Sustainability Report', the company launched six new renewable natural gas projects in 2024 to capitalize on these favorable market dynamics.

Simultaneously, the increasing global generation of municipal solid waste due to urbanization fundamentally scales the potential feedstock for this sector. As expanding urban populations generate higher volumes of organic waste, landfill operators are compelled to install advanced capture systems to manage the resultant surge in emissions and comply with evolving safety standards. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, November 2025, in the 'Global Methane Status Report 2025', methane emissions from the waste sector are projected to grow 13% by 2030 under current policy scenarios, underscoring the critical need for expanded infrastructure to mitigate environmental impact. Illustrating the continued investment in this capacity, according to the American Biogas Council, in 2025, the number of operational landfill biogas facilities across the United States reached 589, highlighting the sector's steady trajectory.

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Key Market Challenges

The high capital expenditure required for installing gas collection systems and purification facilities constitutes a substantial barrier to the expansion of the global landfill gas market. Developing the necessary infrastructure involves intricate engineering for piping networks, extraction wells, and advanced processing units capable of scrubbing contaminants to meet pipeline-quality standards. This financial burden disproportionately affects smaller landfill operators who often lack the economy of scale to justify such significant upfront outlays, thereby leaving a considerable portion of methane emissions untapped in less voluminous waste sites.

Consequently, the market effectively restricts participation to large-scale entities capable of absorbing these heavy initial costs. The magnitude of this financial requirement is evident in the sector's recent investment patterns which show huge sums required for a limited number of facilities. According to the American Biogas Council, in 2024, the industry deployed $1.4 billion in capital investment to bring only 24 new landfill gas projects online in the United States. This implies an exceptionally high average cost per facility, confirming that capital intensity restricts rapid infrastructure deployment and hampers the industry's ability to universally monetize waste emissions.

Key Market Trends

The emergence of green hydrogen production from landfill gas represents a transformative trend, enabling operators to diversify beyond traditional power generation and enter the high-value heavy transport fuel market. Unlike standard combustion, reforming methane into hydrogen provides a zero-emission vector for decarbonizing industrial sectors that electrification cannot easily reach, such as long-haul trucking and manufacturing. This pathway not only mitigates methane release but also creates a circular hydrogen economy directly at waste disposal sites. Illustrating this technological progression, according to H2 View, November 2025, Raven SR received final approval to construct a waste-to-hydrogen facility at the West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill, designed to process up to 99 tonnes of organic waste per day into transportation-grade hydrogen.

Simultaneously, the industry is witnessing the accelerated development of advanced membrane upgrading materials to overcome the efficiency limitations of legacy pressure swing adsorption systems. These next-generation separation technologies allow for higher methane recovery rates and greater tolerance for gas quality fluctuations, directly addressing the operational instability that often plagues smaller landfill projects. By deploying modular, high-efficiency membrane units, operators can economically upgrade lower-flow gas streams that were previously non-viable for pipeline injection. Highlighting the deployment of this capacity, according to Bioenergy Insight Magazine, November 2025, Waga Energy commissioned a new upgrading unit at the Scott Area Landfill utilizing proprietary membrane technology, which is expected to produce over 205,000 MMBtu of pipeline-quality renewable natural gas annually.

Segmental Insights

The pipeline-quality segment is recognized as the fastest-growing category in the global landfill gas market due to the increasing adoption of renewable natural gas. This trend is significantly supported by policy initiatives like the Renewable Fuel Standard from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which offers credits for processing landfill gas into a cleaner fuel source. Since pipeline-quality gas is compatible with existing natural gas grids, it allows utilities to lower carbon emissions in heating and transport without building new distribution systems. This ease of integration drives substantial investment into gas purification projects globally.

Regional Insights

North America holds a leading position in the global landfill gas market, driven by established waste management infrastructure and robust regulatory support. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency actively promotes market expansion through the Landfill Methane Outreach Program, which facilitates the development of projects to capture methane for energy use. This strong institutional backing encourages the conversion of municipal solid waste into renewable natural gas and electricity. Furthermore, stringent environmental regulations regarding greenhouse gas emissions drive industrial compliance, ensuring consistent investment in landfill gas utilization technologies across the region.

Recent Developments

• In September 2025, the CMA CGM Group finalized a strategic minority investment in Vanguard Renewables, a prominent producer of renewable natural gas in the United States. This collaboration was established to secure a sustainable supply of biomethane, assisting the shipping logistics company in meeting its decarbonization targets for maritime operations. The partnership highlighted the increasing value of utilizing gas derived from organic waste streams to reduce industrial carbon footprints. Vanguard Renewables intends to utilize the backing to further expand its network of landfill gas and anaerobic digestion projects, thereby enhancing its capacity to supply low-carbon fuel to the global market.
• In October 2024, Ameresco, Inc. and Republic Services officially inaugurated a major landfill gas-to-renewable natural gas facility at the Keller Canyon Landfill in Pittsburg, California. Recognized as the largest operational plant of its kind in the state, the facility was designed to process approximately 4,500 standard cubic feet of raw landfill gas per minute. The project captures methane produced by decomposing waste and refines it into pipeline-quality natural gas for integration into the regional utility grid. This launch marked a significant achievement in the companies' ongoing joint venture aimed at converting waste emissions into reliable, clean energy resources.
• In June 2024, Archaea Energy and Republic Services commenced operations at their first joint venture renewable natural gas plant, located at the National Serv-All Landfill in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The facility utilized a specialized modular design aimed at accelerating the construction and deployment of gas processing infrastructure compared to traditional custom builds. This site represented the first of nearly 40 planned projects targeted by the partnership to capture landfill emissions and convert them into low-carbon fuel. The successful startup demonstrated the viability of their collaborative model to rapidly scale renewable gas production across multiple waste management sites.
• In March 2024, Waga Energy commissioned its inaugural renewable natural gas project in the United States at the Steuben County Landfill in New York. The company deployed its proprietary purification unit, which integrates membrane filtration with cryogenic distillation to upgrade raw landfill gas into high-quality biomethane. This facility was projected to inject a significant volume of renewable gas into the local distribution network annually, effectively displacing fossil-based natural gas. The project signified the company's successful entry into the North American market and highlighted its ability to deliver efficient methane recovery solutions for municipal solid waste facilities.

Key Market Players

• Waste Management Holdings Inc.
• Veolia Environnement S.A.
• Suez S.A.
• Aria Energy LLC
• Ameresco Inc.
• Energy Developments Pty Ltd
• CGN Energy Services Holdings Co. Ltd.
• Kohler Co.
• ATTERO Recycling Pvt. Lyd.
• WIN Waste Innovations Holdings Inc.

By Technology	By Application	By Region
Combustion Engine Turbines Others	Utility Flares Pipeline-Quality Process Heater Leachate Evaporation Electricity Generation	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Landfill Gas Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Landfill Gas Market, By Technology:

• Combustion Engine
• Turbines
• Others

• Landfill Gas Market, By Application:

• Utility Flares
• Pipeline-Quality
• Process Heater
• Leachate Evaporation
• Electricity Generation

• Landfill Gas Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE