Page 10 - Turning Trash to Treasure: Development of Waste-to-Energy Technologies
P. 10
were successfully realized under the microorganisms to turn organic matter, decentralized levels. Their commercial
Clean Development Mechanism of the the input feedstock, into biogas and success, however, is yet to be proven for
Kyoto Protocol for mitigation of climate a solid-liquid residue called digestate. MSW. Also, the environmental standards
gas emissions. For sufficiently large The digestate can be used as organic need to be evolved in India with respect
projects, the LFG can also be purified fertiliser when the feedstock is source to adoption of these technologies.
and used as a transport fuel. separated and non-contaminated
Yes another biochemical option organic waste. Biogas is a mixture of Evolution of waste-to-
for processing waste-to-energy is different gases which can be converted energy
anaerobic digestion (AD). It is referred into thermal and/or electrical energy.
to as decomposition of organic matter The flammable gas methane (CH ) The evolution of the waste-to-energy
4
through microorganisms in the absence is the main energy carrier in biogas concept initiated with commissioning
of free oxygen. Suitable waste streams and its content ranges between of waste incinerators to essentially
for AD are biodegradable food waste, 50%–75% depending on feedstock and combust the waste to reduce the
vegetable market waste, slaughter operational conditions. Due to its lower volume and the toxicity. The first
house waste, flower market waste, methane content, the heating value incinerator in the USA was built in 1885
etc., which are easily biodegradable. of biogas is about two-thirds that of on Governors Island in New York. By
3
AD occurs naturally under oxygen natural gas (5.5 to 7.5 kWh/m ). the mid-twentieth century, hundreds
deprived conditions, such as some There are two promising alternative of incinerators were in operation in the
lake sediments and can be used under technology options—gasification USA but little was known about the
controlled conditions to produce biogas. and pyrolysis—which have been used environmental impacts of the water
For this purpose a gas-tight reactor, a successfully at times for specific waste discharges and air emissions from these
so-called anaerobic digester, is used streams, such as wood chips, agricultural incinerators until the 1960s. When
to provide favourable conditions for residues, tyre chips, plastics, etc., at the the Clean Air Act (CAA) came into effect
July–September 2018 16 energy future
Clean Development Mechanism of the the input feedstock, into biogas and success, however, is yet to be proven for
Kyoto Protocol for mitigation of climate a solid-liquid residue called digestate. MSW. Also, the environmental standards
gas emissions. For sufficiently large The digestate can be used as organic need to be evolved in India with respect
projects, the LFG can also be purified fertiliser when the feedstock is source to adoption of these technologies.
and used as a transport fuel. separated and non-contaminated
Yes another biochemical option organic waste. Biogas is a mixture of Evolution of waste-to-
for processing waste-to-energy is different gases which can be converted energy
anaerobic digestion (AD). It is referred into thermal and/or electrical energy.
to as decomposition of organic matter The flammable gas methane (CH ) The evolution of the waste-to-energy
4
through microorganisms in the absence is the main energy carrier in biogas concept initiated with commissioning
of free oxygen. Suitable waste streams and its content ranges between of waste incinerators to essentially
for AD are biodegradable food waste, 50%–75% depending on feedstock and combust the waste to reduce the
vegetable market waste, slaughter operational conditions. Due to its lower volume and the toxicity. The first
house waste, flower market waste, methane content, the heating value incinerator in the USA was built in 1885
etc., which are easily biodegradable. of biogas is about two-thirds that of on Governors Island in New York. By
3
AD occurs naturally under oxygen natural gas (5.5 to 7.5 kWh/m ). the mid-twentieth century, hundreds
deprived conditions, such as some There are two promising alternative of incinerators were in operation in the
lake sediments and can be used under technology options—gasification USA but little was known about the
controlled conditions to produce biogas. and pyrolysis—which have been used environmental impacts of the water
For this purpose a gas-tight reactor, a successfully at times for specific waste discharges and air emissions from these
so-called anaerobic digester, is used streams, such as wood chips, agricultural incinerators until the 1960s. When
to provide favourable conditions for residues, tyre chips, plastics, etc., at the the Clean Air Act (CAA) came into effect
July–September 2018 16 energy future
