Overview
Overlooked in the discussion on global warming and renewable energy is the role of local governments and their communities. They can make a huge contribution to energy security, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. This can be achieved by turning household trash, commercial debris and other discarded wastes in their backyard to make electricity and biofuels. Unlike the incinerator plants which currently burn waste to make electricity the new technologies are pollution free and far more efficient.
Rather than continue to bury wastes in a hole at a landfill where it biodegrades and emits greenhouse gases as well as leachate that contaminates groundwater, wastes can be turned from a liability into an asset. These wastes don’t cost anything and unlike corn ethanol and soybean diesel don’t threaten food supplies. In addition to the typical household garbage, aka MSW and commercial debris, there are other plentiful sources of biomass such as tree clippings, used tires, sewer sludge and animal manures which are constantly being replenished.
Household and commercial trash is the only renewable resource available consistently – not wind, not hydro, not solar. Unlike other renewables, it can provide a steady flow of power to the grid at all times. Unlike wind and solar it does not need new high voltage electric transmission lines. It is distributed generation which is cheaper, more efficient and more reliable.
Nearly 350 million tons of trash are dumped in landfills every year in the U.S. About 75% of this is organic and therefore suitable for a biomass plant. The rest i.e. metal, concrete, can usually be recycled. Converting and not burying the organic wastes is the best form of recycling. Unlike the incinerator plants, there is little residual from the gasification plants, typically 5% instead of 35%, which cannot be used and has to be buried.
Every ton of trash that is not buried will avoid 1.5 tons of greenhouse gases and produce 1,000kwh of electricity. If all the trash being buried is recycled into energy, a community can achieve a recycling rate of nearly 95%. The average recycling rate in the US is currently about 38%.
