ENERGY
And this is not semantics or spin.
Incineration is an outdated term which does
not apply accurately to modern combustion
plants. The Institute of Mechanical Engineers
is also probably correct to say that more
emphasis on the word ‘energy’ and less
on ‘waste’ is required when talking about
EfW. We need to start thinking of waste as
a resource more than a problem. Finally,
more effort should be put into explaining the
tremendous potential EfW has for generating
heat, as well as electricity.
Even with the best communications in
the world, there will probably be many local
authorities who will never agree to large-
scale expansion of EfW combustion facilities.
The good news for those authorities is that
advanced EfW technologies are now starting to
appear in the UK, with a range of international
suppliers actively marketing here.
As stated earlier, advanced gasification and
pyrolysis qualifies for twice as many ROCs as
EfW with combustion. As a result, a handful
of large plants are now at an advanced stage
of planning, including one proposed 40MW
project on the Wirral. Applying advanced
gasification techniques to biomass waste
results in the clean production of a synthetic
natural gas that can be used directly (and
efficiently) to produce low emission electricity
Waste should be perceived more as an energy resource than as a problem.
and heat.
‘
biological treatment (MBT) route, which Defra With the new key performance indicators
More
favours for disposing of food waste. (KPIs) on CO
2
per capita and the latest
MBT, which involves the mechanical European directives on reducing landfill, it’s
emphasis
sorting of waste for recycling or fuel clear that one of the big, strategic questions
production followed by biological treatment facing local authorities in 2009 is whether to
(such as in-vessel composting or anaerobic increase considerably their commitment to EfW
on the word
digestion) has the ability to produce both heat solutions, either directly or indirectly - when
and power through the production and use of recycling is not an option.
'energy' and
a methane-rich biogas and organic fertiliser The next two years will go a long way to
or soil conditioners. Research has shown determining whether the UK catches up with
less on 'waste
that replacing fossil fuel energy with biogas some of its European neighbours, such as
The major obstacle to the adoption of thes
’
' through anaerobic digestion is a very effective Denmark, where EfW is providing significant
way of reducing GHG emissions. shares of national heat and power. Those
e MBT technology is also a beneficial countries are keeping landfill to a minimum
technologies in the UK has been the high front-end process when it comes to producing because they are also leaders in recycling, and
capital costs required for plant and equipment. a refuse derived or solid recovered fuel that there is no reason why the UK cannot follow
At a time when the public finances are may be used as fossil fuel replacement in the same twin track.
facing unprecedented pressure, making the conventional power stations and the cement One area where we might be able to jump
case for large investments of this kind has manufacture. New measurement techniques ahead is in the design of ‘carbon critical’ waste
to be more rigorous than ever. Hitting the will enhance the ability of MBT technologies infrastructure - taking advantage of the latest
government’s demanding targets on GHG to reduce GHG emissions for both food and assessment/measurement techniques to ensure
reductions has to be a major part of that non-food waste. that emissions are minimised at every stage of
case, which means that local authorities need the design process.
sophisticated carbon measurement tools to
Challenging targets
I believe there is a strong case for the UK’s
assess, with the highest degree of accuracy, the The government’s Waste Strategy 2007 has nations and regions to consider seriously some
GHG impact of any new waste project. carbon reduction as a theme throughout and of the advances in EfW technology, based on
Another advanced technology now reaching sets challenging targets to reduce greenhouse a sound business and environmental case for
maturity is EfW through the mechanical and gas emissions from waste management. reducing GHG emissions.
26 SuStainable SolutionS april 2009
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