Managing landfill gas at sites with low or declining gas flow rates presents a unique engineering challenge. Grid power isn’t always available, active extraction systems can be impractical, and yet regulatory and environmental obligations to combust methane remain. This is exactly the gap that solar powered flares are designed to fill.
In recent years, interest in solar-powered flaring technology has grown steadily as site operators look for low-energy, low-system-cost solutions for medium to long-term landfill gas combustion. These free-standing units require no external electrical connection, drawing all the power they need from solar battery systems – making them ideal for remote or low-infrastructure sites.
Solar powered flares are completely self-sufficient: no grid connection, no generator, no fuel delivery. Just sunlight (or even daylight under cloud cover) powering a battery pack that keeps the ignition system running continuously.
Why Choose Solar Powered Flaring?
As landfill sites mature and gas production tails off, the economics of running powered extraction and flaring infrastructure become harder to justify. Solar powered flares offer a practical middle ground: they maintain compliant combustion of landfill gas without the capital and operational costs associated with mains power connections or diesel generators.
Two distinct ranges address different site conditions:
- BCW Range – open, elevated, low-flow flares that connect directly onto wellheads
- ACE Range – enclosed flares for higher flow rates, where visible open flames are not acceptable
The BCW Range: Simple, Direct Wellhead Flaring
The BCW Range is built for locations where an active landfill gas extraction system isn’t practical, but combustion of the gas is still required. It’s a minimal-intervention system that connects directly onto the wellhead, favouring simplicity and practicality over complexity.
Key Features
- Solar-powered, continuous intermittent spark ignition
- Direct wellhead connection
- Optional tripod stand for low-strength installations
- Wind-shroud to support flame stability in exposed conditions
- Insulated vertical feed line, protecting against moisture freezing out
- Low pressure-drop flame arrester to prevent flashbacks
- High-quality, high-temperature materials for long-term, trouble-free operation
The burner tip and wind shroud are manufactured from high-temperature resistant 310 stainless steel, built to withstand continuous exposure to combustion. The system can be manually isolated during installation and operation, and the continuous timed ignition sequence can be disabled to allow passive venting whenever required. If the flame is extinguished, the timed ignition automatically re-lights it as soon as conditions allow.
The BCW Range offers a simple and robust solution for wellhead flaring – a straightforward answer for sites where active gas extraction infrastructure simply isn’t justified.
The ACE Range: Enclosed Flaring for Higher Flow Rates
Where an open flame would be visually or operationally unacceptable, and where power isn’t available to run active gas extraction, the ACE Range provides an enclosed, higher-capacity alternative.
Key Features
- Enclosed flame design enabling stable combustion and elevated temperatures
- Optional direct-wellhead mounting or off-wellhead installation
- Ceramic-blanket brick insulation with no surface-mount fixings
- Low pressure-drop flame arrester to prevent flashbacks
- Solar-powered, continuous intermittent spark ignition
- Optional slam-shut valve for added safety
- High-quality materials for long-term, trouble-free use
The ACE flare uses solar power to maintain charge in a battery pack – and notably, direct sunshine isn’t required. Daylight under cloud cover still generates enough energy to keep the system operational, which is a significant advantage in temperate or overcast climates.
The unit is tripod-mounted for stability on uneven ground, with individually adjustable legs, and connects to the wellhead via a flexible joint that can be positioned underneath or adjacent to the flare itself. The combustion chamber is manufactured from 304 stainless steel and lined with 100 mm of ceramic-blanket bricks, with no high-temperature surface-mounted fixings – a design intended to resist damage from the combustion process over many years of service.
While it isn’t possible to maintain elevated combustion chamber temperatures across every combination of flow and wellhead pressure, the ACE flare is engineered to guarantee a minimum retention time of 0.5 seconds within the combustion chamber at maximum design flow – helping to ensure more complete methane combustion.
Automation and Safety Options
For sites requiring greater oversight, both ranges can be specified with larger solar panels to support additional automation features, including:
- Slam-shut valving
- Flame monitoring
- Alarm sounders
- Panel-mounted indicator lamps
These options allow operators to scale up the level of monitoring and control without abandoning the off-grid, solar-powered concept.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Flow rate range | 10 to 150 m³/hour |
| Minimum pressure head required | 1.5 mbar |
| Flame temperature | Up to 1,000°C (subject to gas flow rate and methane concentration) |
| Retention time (ACE) | 0.5 seconds minimum at design maximum flow rate |
| Minimum methane concentration for sustained combustion | 20% |
| Number of inlets | 1 flanged inlet standard (additional available on request) |
| Flow control | Stainless steel ball valve |
| Pipework finish | Hot-dip galvanised (industry standard) or stainless steel |
| Burner material | High-temperature stainless steel |
| Flame arrestor | Fitted on flare feed line |
Typical Applications
Solar powered flares are particularly well suited to:
- Closed or capped landfill sites with declining gas generation
- Remote sites without practical access to mains electricity
- Locations where installing an active gas extraction system isn’t cost-effective
- Sites requiring an interim or long-term passive flaring solution while gas production tails off
- Situations where enclosed, non-visible flames are a planning or environmental requirement (ACE Range)
For background on the broader context of landfill gas management, see landfill gas on Wikipedia and guidance from the US EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program.
Key Takeaways
- Solar powered flares provide a low-energy, low-cost flaring solution for landfill sites with low gas flow rates, requiring no external power connection.
- The BCW Range offers simple, open-flame, direct wellhead flaring for sites without active extraction systems.
- The ACE Range provides enclosed, higher-flow-rate flaring where open flames aren’t acceptable, with a guaranteed minimum 0.5-second retention time.
- Both ranges operate on flow rates from 10 to 150 m³/hour, sustaining combustion down to 20% methane concentration.
- Optional automation – slam-shut valves, flame monitoring, alarms – can be added with larger solar panels for sites needing extra oversight.
Get in Touch
If your site is generating landfill gas at declining or low rates and you’re exploring cost-effective, self-sufficient flaring options, our team can help you determine whether the BCW or ACE Range – or a combination of both – is the right fit for your operation. Contact us today to discuss your site’s requirements and get a tailored recommendation.