Consideration of New and Emerging Technologies

(Conversion Technologies)for

Solid Waste Management inMassachusetts

Presented atEBC Solid Waste Energy Seminar

June 9, 2010

Presented by James J. Binder, P.E.

Alternative Resources, Inc.Concord, MA 01742

(978) 371-2054jbinder@alt-res.com

Conversion Technologies

• Thermal– Use or produce heat to change the composition

of organic portion of MSW– Products include synthesis gas, fuels, vitrified

residue or char, recovered metals and other materials

– Descriptors: gasification, pyrolysis and plasma

• Digestion (Aerobic and Anaerobic)– Decomposes organic compostable fraction of

MSW using microbes– Anaerobic digestion produces biogas and

compost– Aerobic digestion produces compost

• Hydrolysis– Chemical reaction in which water (typically with

acid) reacts with another substance to form new substances

– Extracts cellulose from MSW to form products or sugar which is fermented to ethanol

– Some products include ethanol, levulinic acid

• Mechanical Processing– To create a fuel or other reusable products

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Why Consider Conversion Technologies?

• Environmental benefits, including reduction in greenhouse gas and other emissions

• Enhanced beneficial use of waste; material recovery and energy production; less waste requiring transfer and landfilling

• Production of needed “renewable” products with strong, year-round markets– Electricity– Gas– Fuels – CNG, LNG, ethanol,

hydrogen, biodiesel

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Examples of Recent Independent Evaluations

• New York City– Phase I – 2004

– Phase II – 2007

• LA County– Phase I – 2005

– Phase II – 2007

• City of LA – Phase I: 2005• University of California, Riverside –

June 2009

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Summary of Technical FindingsNYC Phase II Evaluation 2007

• Anaerobic digestion and thermal processing technologies are in commercial operation overseas for mixed MSW, and could be successfully applied in NYC

• Reference facilities provide a demonstration of performance

• Site size requirements

– Anaerobic digestion: 8-14 acres (~500 tpd)

– Thermal processing: 11-36 acres (2000-3,000 tpd)

• No issues have been identified that would prevent transfer of design and operation experience from commercial operation overseas to application of the technologies in the U.S.

• Project-specific and site-specific issues would need to be addressed

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Typical Net Energy Production

Net Electric/ Fuel Output

1,000 TPD 100%

Availability

Thermal /

Gasification/ Electricity

400-700 kWh/Ton

16-28 MWe

Thermal/

Gasification/

Ethanol

60-70 Gal Ethanol/Ton

22-26 Million

Gal/Year

Anaerobic Digestion/ Electricity

125-250 kWh/Ton

5-10 MWe

Acid Hydrolysis/ Ethanol

31 Gal Ethanol/Ton

11 Million Gal/Year

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Typical Landfill Diversion(By weight)

Thermal >90%

Anaerobic Digestion

65-85%

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Summary of Environmental Findings NYC Phase II

Evaluation 2007

• In general, anaerobic digestion and thermal processing technologies have the potential to offer better environmental performance than waste-to-energy facilities, including lower air emissions, increased beneficial use of waste, and reduced reliance on landfilling

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Typical Economics

• Economic analyses indicate that anaerobic digestion and thermal processing technologies, on a commercial scale, are comparable to or less costly than costs for current waste management practices, including in-state and export practices

• Projected tipping fee for private ownership and financing without ARRA, DOE Funding:

– Anaerobic digestion = $60-$80/ton

– Thermal processing = $65-$100/ton

• Potential for ARRA, DOE funding – could lower tip fees $10-$20/ton.

• Corporate teaming experience in the U.S. continuing to develop for the technology suppliers

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Status of Active U.S. Initiatives

• Permitting– St. Lucie County, Florida: 600 TPD –

Plasma Gasification – Electricity– Fulcrum Energy, Nevada: 300 TPD –

Plasma Gasification – Ethanol

• Contract Negotiation– Taunton, MA: Commercial Facility,

1770 TPD – Gasification – Ethanol– City of Los Angeles: Demonstration

Facility, 150 TPD – AD– County of Los Angeles: Demonstration

Facilities, 150-360 TPD – AD and Gasification

– Salinas, CA: Commercial Facility – Plasma Gasification

• Procurement– City/County of Santa Barbara: Commercial

Facility, 700 TPD – AD, Gasification, Other

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Status of Active U.S. Initiatives (cont.)

• Siting– New York City: 300-1000 TPD – AD,

Gasification

• Technology Evaluations/Planning– Connecticut – CRRA

– Delaware – DSWA

– New Jersey – ACUA

– California – San Diego, Orange County, San Jose, Oakland, San Bernardino County, others

Taunton, Massachusetts

• Selected IWT to Finance, Permit, Design, Construct, Operate Facility on City-Leased Site.

• 1770-TPD Regional Solid Waste Management Facility

• Accept post-recycled mixed MSW and other wastes

• Materials Recycling Facility

• Thermoselect Gasification Process

• Coskata Ethanol Production Facility

• Benefits City, Region, State– In-state solution to reduce waste export– Long term, stable and competitive tip fees – economic benefit

to communities, commercial businesses and industry– Increased recycling and diversion from landfilling– Reduced environmental impacts – greenhouse gas emissions– Production of ethanol – renewable fuel – from waste

materials, not corn– Provides economic benefits

300 construction jobs 80 long-term O&M jobs Economic stimulus to region

• Operation – 2013-2014

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Plant View – Site ConstructionArrowBio – Jacks Gully

Sydney, Australia300 TPDJuly 2008

Commercial operation 2009

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Reciprocating Engine/Gen Set

ArrowBio, Tel Aviv

Operating since 2003

Thermoselect GasificationProjects in Japan

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IWT – Chiba, Japan330 TPD

Operating since 1999

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Waste in Pit

JFE/Thermoselect Plant

Kurashiki, Japan

610 TPD

Operating since 2005

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Cut Away Model - Ebara Plant

Kawaguchi, Japan

380 TPD

Operating Since 2002

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Control Room – Ebara Plant

Kawaguchi, Japan

Westinghouse Plasma Gasification System

Utashinai, Japan

165 TPD for Auto Shredder Residue (ASR)

or 300 TPD for MSW

Date of Commercial Operation: 2003

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IES – Romoland, CA50 TPD

Operating since March 2005

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Gasifier and Thermal OxidizerEntech Facility, Bydgoszcz, Poland

25 TPD – Hospital WasteOperating since February 2003

Plasco Energy Demonstration Facility

Ottawa, Canada

100 TPD (Permitted for 85 TPD,

Generates 4 MW electricity)

Date of Initial Waste Processing: 2007

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Plasco Energy Group – Plasma Gasification Facility

Artist Rendering for Facility Proposed for

City of Los Angeles

200 TPD

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