My Landfill Gas Project Lease Is Coming to an End – Where Do I Start? 5 Things to Think About

If your landfill gas project lease is due to expire in the next few years, don’t wait until the final few months to start preparing.

The good news is that you don’t need to make any major decisions straight away, like repowering landfill gas sites or finding a new operator. Instead, focus on gathering the information you’ll need to make informed choices later.

Here are five questions to ask before your lease comes to an end. This is especially important for landfill site owners, councils and organisations managing long-running landfill gas assets.

1. Do I Have a Copy of My Lease Agreement?

You’d be surprised how often the answer is no.

Before anything else, make sure you have the latest signed version of the lease and any associated agreements.

Pay particular attention to:

• The expiry date
• Notice periods
• Extension provisions
• Responsibilities at lease termination

You can’t plan effectively if you don’t fully understand the agreement you’re working with.

Learn more about creating a lease for a landfill gas project.

2. Who Owns What?

As the lease approaches expiry, ownership can become an important issue.

Do you know who owns:

• The engines?
• The gas collection equipment?
• The electrical infrastructure?
• The site buildings and compounds?

Understanding what remains on site and who owns it can help avoid confusion and disputes later.

3. What Is the Status of My Grid Connection?

Many site owners don’t think about the grid connection until they need it.

Find out:

• Who currently holds the connection agreement?
• Whether the connection can be transferred
• Whether any changes are likely to be required in future

This information can become important regardless of what happens after the lease expires.

4. Are My Permissions and Accreditations in Order?

Several important permissions may need reviewing before lease expiry.

These could include:

• Environmental permits
• Planning permissions
• ROC accreditation
• Other project-specific approvals

You don’t necessarily need to take action immediately, but you should understand what exists and whether any future changes could affect them.

It’s worth noting that landfill gas ROC removals will take place in 2027.

5. Have I Left Enough Time?

This is often the biggest challenge. Many leaseholders only start reviewing their position when expiry is approaching fast.

By then, gathering information, obtaining advice and evaluating future opportunities (such as repowering a landfill gas project) can become much more difficult.

As a general rule, it’s worth starting the process 12 to 18 months before the lease ends.

What’s the Most Important Thing to Do First?

Get organised.

Gather your lease documents, key project information and relevant permissions into one place.

Once you have the documents in front of you, the next step is understanding what they mean for your income, responsibilities and future options.

The earlier you start preparing, the easier those decisions become.

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Need Help Understanding Your Position?

If your landfill gas project lease is approaching expiry, now is the time to start gathering the information you’ll need for the next stage of the project – whether that’s renegotiating a landfill gas contract or finding a new operator.

At Lumify Energy, our Advisory Service helps landfill site owners review agreements, understand key project assets and identify the issues that need attention before lease expiry.

Whether your lease ends in one year or five, we’ll help you build a clear picture of your current position so you can plan with confidence.

Get in touch to discuss your landfill gas project and start preparing early.