Economically viability and knowing and/or applying the best available technologies is coming of age through EMS ISO 14000.

With a growing population, 6 billion in 3 October of 1999... 9 billion in year 2070, taking advantage of the generation of energy through waste residuals is linearly proportionate, with a high degree of positive correlation, of population growth -- landfills that in some regions are regulated and controlled and in other regions are not impacts the utilization of methane. This mining of for methane assist in closing the gap for the next technological era, and relevant to we could say that power generation, a transition to energy generation from H₂ is closer and advancing. Thus generation of power from mining methane gas from landfills has become a possibility and in some places a reality.

Since deregulating the utility industry, in California since 1998 and in many regions such as Asia-Pacific and the "Mercosur" (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil) countries, provinces, states and counties are embracing alternatives for the production of energy -- reiterating, methane gas from landfills has become a possibility as the experience indicates in California (results are being scarcely reported from other world regions). Whilst the idea is not new, the pressure placed by the raising price of  conventional "carbon" based sources for power makes it economically viable. And converting methane gas from landfills into a source for power generation is a possibility and has become a reality in some regions.

Methane gas is resultant from landfill decay, specially in the US with a high consumption society. Further, if methane gas from landfills is not mined will affect through various "streams" the environment; Seep into the soil or escape through air, and may even ultimately impact in the climatic changes. Summarising it can contaminant water sources, soil or otherwise it may be a contributor to climate changes. Climatic impact is not resultant of one landfill but of million of landfills world-wide. If left untapped, the effect and potential impact is there and will impact by obeying the laws of nature. Meaning that methane mining meets two purposes less direct impact to the environment and energy production.

The principle of methane mining lays in the implementation of a process to siphon methane gas (from the ground) to create a source for to fuel electric power generation. This process can be seen on the principle of EVABAT ("Economically Viable And Best Available Technology", BRS courtesy). Applied EVABAT when combined within an effective and eficient environmental management system (e.g., ISO 14001) results in benefit to both the environment and profitability (and in some regions may be a source for the generation of wealth). This should propitiate organisations to connect and collaborate with government entities aiming toward    mining of methane gas and selling it (and may even be viewd as a commodity), thus in lieu of investing taxpayers money it would be left to industry in collaboration with a local government to act and generate a source of income whilst environmentally resulting in benefits.

In California USA the California Energy Commission has committed to paying US$1.48 per kW (kilowatt of electricity) - 1,000 watts is approximately one-day power for 100,000 houses/day. Anyhow, under California law, counties must siphon methane out of the ground and burn it. Thus, in California, either way a process to extract and burn must placed.

Once installed methane-collecting equipment, the protocol calls for selling fuel for the generation of electricity. However and once a landfill's useful life come to pass, completion of the life cycle of a specific landfill (once it has being mined for methane gas), it must be treated (closed) responsibly -- caring for the natural environment as well as the health of the environment and its communities. 

The incentive to mine methane, in some regions, has been and it is initially thought for improving our relationship with the environment, later finance has settled in to demonstrate the EV part of the EVABAT formulation. Thus the driver for the siphoning of methane has been in pursuing environmental responsibility, however now is gratifying the least to get a ROI on actually improving our relationship with the environment. Case in point:

The largest landfill in the USA, The Puente Hills Landfill in Southern California, took 5 years to attain return on investment (ROI), afterward and thus presently profit are being generated. 

Whilst mining landfills may be considered a transitional technology toward the ultimate, based on splitting H₂ for power, it is with the continuing population growth may well be the advent and continuing rise of applying the concept behind EVABAT on today's challenges within a global "e-conomy".