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Herzeliya Interdisciplinary Center Petroleum and Energy: Geopolitics, Economics, Strategy & Security Dr. Amit Mor June 2010. Presented by: Nimrod Wiznitzer. Waste to Energy Technology. Research Thesis:.
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Herzeliya Interdisciplinary CenterPetroleum and Energy: Geopolitics, Economics, Strategy & SecurityDr. Amit Mor June 2010 Presented by: Nimrod Wiznitzer Waste to EnergyTechnology
Research Thesis: • What are the possible applications for waste to energy as an alternative energy source? • Could it replace fossil based fuels as a primary source of energy?
Identifying the Problem.. • The consumption habits of modern consumer lifestyles are causing a huge worldwide waste problem. Having overfilled local landfill capacities, many first world nations are now exporting their waste to third world countries. • This is having a devastating impact on ecosystems and cultures throughout the world. • Dependence on foreign oil has become a security threat and a financial liability to many countries, among them are Israel, U.S.A., and many European countries.
Waste to Energy – What is it? • Any waste treatment that creates energy in the form of electricity or heat from a waste source that would have otherwise been disposed of in landfill. • More advanced Waste-to-Energy processes result in useable fuel commodity such as: Hydrogen or Ethanol.
Waste to Energy – The Process: There are 3 different methods to create energy from waste: Physicalwaste-to-energy technologies mechanically process waste to produce forms of fuel. It is targeted at waste that is non-combustible such as glass and metals. Thermal waste-to-energy technologies use heat or combustion to treat wastes, producing a mixture of combustible gases. Biologicalwaste-to-energy technologies use microbes or other organisms to produce fuels from waste.
Waste to Energy – Applications: The main applications for Waste-To-Energy technologies are: • Electricity. • Steam. • Natural Gas. • Fuel Cells. In other words, Waste-To-Energy technologies can create a variety of different energy sources.
Waste to Energy – Applications: Energy Sources
Waste to Energy – Advantages: • The majority of waste that would normally go into landfill sites can be reused. • The fuel is obtainable cheaply. • There will always be a reliable source of fuel as people will always produce waste. • The use of WTE technologies prevents the release of forty-million metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Waste to Energy – Disadvantages: • There are still debates over whether WTE plants are clean and free from harmful chemicals. • Thermal based WTE technologies still emit a certain amount of CO2into the atmosphere during the incineration process. Thus, it is not a completely “green” technology. • WTE facilities are expansive to construct.
Waste to Energy VS Fossil Fuel • Compared with coal and oil fired power stations all WTE plants (including the electricity only plants) emit less CO2. • Currently, Europe’s WTE plants can supply 20 million people with electricity and 32 million with heat. • As more people turn towards eco-friendly waste management methods, WTE technology will take a large part of the market share. Therefore, many are likely to invest in this uprising technology and increase the uses of WTE over fossil fuel.
Summary & Conclusions: • WTE technologies can be used to create a variety of energy sources (Electricity, Gas, Fuel). These energy sources can be applied for supplying electricity, fueling vehicles, heating houses and much more. • WTE technologies create an environment-friendly solution for handling the pollution created by landfill waste sites, and the problem of over-flowing landfill waste sites. • WTE technologies have the potential to decrease the use of fossil fuel as a primary energy source, mainly because it is as efficient, less polluting and has an increasingly growing market which allures more people to invest in WTE technologies.
References: • The Cleantech Report, Waste to Energy. Lux Research (2007). • Eunomia 2006: A changing climate for energy from waste. http://www.waste-management-world.com/index/display/article-display/348534/articles/waste-management-world/volume-9/issue-6/waste-to-energy-special/wte-technology-playing-a-vital-part-in-sustainable-solutions.html • Oilgae – Waste to Energy: Production, Application. http://www.oilgae.com/energy/sou/ae/re/was/was.html • Aesi - Alternative Energy Solutions.http://www.aesintl.net/