Where is Gasplasma® used?
Gasplasma® is the patented gasification and plasma conversion process developed by Advanced Plasma Power (APP). The latest pilot plant is operating in our current site near Swindon, U.K. This plant has been in operation since 2007. The first pilot plant was in operation between 2005-07 in our original site in Faringdon, U.K.
What is waste-to-energy?
Waste-to-energy (WtE) or energy-from-waste (EfW) refers to any waste treatment that creates energy in the form of electricity or heat from a waste source. Such technologies reduce or eliminate waste that otherwise would be transferred to a "greenhouse gas" emitting landfill. Recovering energy from wastes from municipal or industrial sources can turn the problem of waste disposal into an opportunity for generating income from heat or power sales. The safe and cost-effective disposal of these wastes is becoming increasingly important, especially with the demand for higher environmental standards of waste disposal and the pressure on local authorities to minimise the quantities of waste generated and disposed to land.
Why is using waste as an energy source important?
Nearly 70 million tonnes of waste are landfilled every year in the UK. The European Union Landfill Directive requires Member States to dramatically reduce the amount of waste that is landfilled or face heavy fines. The UK government is committed to reducing landfill and increasing recycling, evidenced by the continuing increases in Landfill Tax.
What is Landfill Tax?
This is a payment that local authorities must pay to the Government for every tonne of waste they send to landfill over a fixed quota. From being £12 per tonne in 2003, Landfill Tax will have increased to £48 per tonne as of April 2010 and will rise to £80 per tonne by 2014/15.
What is the Landfill Allowance Scheme?
This was introduce on 1st April 2005 and places even greater financial pressure on councils to secure waste treatment technology services. For every tonne of organic waste that a council sends to landfill over its annual landfill allowance, it must pay an additional penalty of £150 per tonne (£200 per tonne in Wales), in addition to the cost of landfill and the Landfill Tax.
What is an Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT)?
Advanced conversion technologies are waste to energy transformation technologies, defined in UK Renewable Energy legislation. Transformation processes include recycling, composting, anerobic digestion, gasification, pyrolysis and mechanical/biological (MBT) treatment. Each have their own drawbacks, ranging from higher costs, to immature technology to issues around scalability. But these methods can also generate extra profit, for example by selling recycled materials or the energy generated by burning waste.
The Gasplasma® process sounds energy intensive. How is it environmentally friendly?
The APP plants will typically use approximately one-third of the electricity produced to power the process. Two-thirds would be left for export to the grid. The electricity would be eligible for double ROCs and, unlike many other forms of renewable power, it would be stable, predictable and easily integrated to the local grid. A plant treating 100,000 tonnes of residual waste per year would provide enough power for over 8,000 homes, and enough heat for over 700. The Gasplasma® process produces little to no polluting gases or emissions and almost nothing is left – less than 1% of input volumes – for landfill. This is the highest landfill diversion rate of any waste management technology anywhere. In addition, APP’s plants have amongst the lowest carbon footprints of any power plant. The Gasplasma® process produces a very low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission value, with an overall negative carbon footprint of -341kg CO2/MWh. Wardell-Armstrong conducted an independent analysis of the CO2 emissions of the Gasplasma® process:
- -341 kg CO2/MWh, Gasplasma® process
- 230 kg CO2/MWh for a typical incinerator
- 430 kg CO2/MWh as the average carbon emitted from UK power generators at present
The Gasplasma® process also has a negative footprint in terms of CO2 emitted during the transformation of waste-to-energy:
- -543 kg CO2/tonne MSW, Gasplasma® process
- 120 kg CO2/tonne MSW for an incinerator
- 325 kg CO2 / tonne MSW for landfill
Gasplasma® also featured highly in a recent report by Eunomia looking at carbon footprints of waste technologies. The APP plants are very small – roughly the size of an out of town retail warehouse – and unobtrusive, so have less of a physical environmental presence. Finally, as the plants can be located close to towns/cities and sources of waste production, transport emissions are kept to a minimum compared to large regional facilities, as well as providing local heat to communities or industry.
Does all waste-to-energy count as renewable energy?
Not all waste can be converted into energy that qualifies as renewable. Only energy that is recovered from biological wastes can be regarded as renewable energy - that means it comes from plant material (either directly, or in the case of animal wastes, paper or card, indirectly).
How does the carbon footprint of Gasplasma® compare to traditional means of treating waste?
Per tonne of MSW the CO2 footprint:
- -543 kg CO2/tonne MSW Gasplasma® process
- 120 kg CO2/tonne MSW for an incinerator
- 325 kg CO2 / tonne MSW for landfill
What is a ROC?
A ROC is a Renewable Obligation Certificate.
It is a green certificate issued to an accredited generator for eligible renewable electricity generated within the United Kingdom and supplied to customers within the United Kingdom by a licensed electricity supplier. One ROC is issued for each megawatt hour (MWh) of eligible renewable output generated.
Does Gasplasma® qualify for ROCs?
Yes - Gasplasma® qualifies for double ROC's (following the UK Energy Review)
What is MBI?
Mass burn incineration (MBI) is the combustion of mixed waste to generate energy. There are concerns about MBI due to inefficiency, emissions and pollutants generated in the transportation of waste to the incinerator, as well as toxins released in the process of incineration, and the char and toxic residues it produces that require landfilling.
What is RDF?
Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) is what is left when operators take bulk waste, remove recyclable or non-combustible materials, then dry and shred the remainder or otherwise process it into a uniform fuel.
What is Plasma Conversion?
A waste treatment technology that uses a plasma arc, inside a plasma converter, to breakdown waste into an elemental syngas and solid waste (Plasmarok®).
What is gasification?
Gasification is a process of transforming materials into a gas. The gas created is called a synthetic gas or syngas.