Technological Innovations to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

拟议的研究计划涉及推进两项技术，能够减少与石油和天然气工业和接受可生物降解有机废物的垃圾填埋场相关的点源和面源温室气体排放。点源排放可以通过高速甲烷氧化生物过滤（HMBF）来控制;这是我们过去通过开展基础和应用研究开发和推广的技术。目前的项目进一步推进了知识库，以便能够在实地规模应用该技术。 与垃圾填埋场相关的区域源温室气体排放将通过应用垃圾填埋场生物电池技术（LBT）来控制，其中废电池以厌氧和好氧生物反应器模式运行，随后进行采矿以回收资源和空间。LBT的起源，部分是因为认识到，传统的“掩埋”填埋场的操作的唯一目标是控制地下水污染是不可持续的，并可能在填埋气体相关的问题和资源保护方面产生反作用。 虽然这种可持续的地下废物处理方法有可能解决与传统填埋有关的一些环境和社会问题，但一些技术障碍阻碍了其大规模采用。目前的计划解决了几个技术问题。 研究生和其他HQP的培训是该项目的关键组成部分，80%以上的项目资金用于此目的。六名研究生（三名博士和三名硕士）和几名暑期学生将参加研究。预计HQP将以实际经验补充其学术培训，并将继续为加拿大知识和经济做出丰富贡献。

The proposed research program deals with advancing two technologies capable of reducing point- and area-source GHG emissions associated with oil and gas industry and landfills accepting biodegradable organic waste. The point-source emissions could be controlled by high-rate methanotrophic biofiltration (HMBF); a technology we have developed and promoted by undertaking fundamental and applied research in the past. The current project further advances the knowledge base to enable field-scale application of the technology. Area-source GHG emissions associated with landfills will be controlled by the application of landfill biocell technology (LBT), where waste cells are operated in anaerobic and aerobic bioreactor modes and subsequent mining for recovery of resources and space. LBT originated, in part, from the realization that operation of conventional “entombed” landfills for the sole objective of controlling groundwater contamination is not sustainable, and could be counter-productive in relation to landfill gas related problems and resource conservation. Although this sustainable in-ground waste processing approach has the potential to solve a number of environmental and social problems associated with conventional landfilling, a number of technical obstacles prevent its adoption in a large scale. The current program addresses several technical issues. Training of graduate student and other HQPs is a key component of this project, with more than 80% of the project funds used for this purpose. Six graduate students (three PhD and three MSc) and several summer students will participate in the research. The HQPs are expected to complement their academic training with hands on experience and will go on to contribute richly to the Canadian knowledge and economy.