Environmental

Plasma gasification represents a clean and efficient option to convert various feedstocks into energy in an environmentally responsible manner.

In the plasma gasification process, heat nearly as hot as the sun’s surface is used to break down the molecular structure of any carbon-containing materials – such as municipal solid waste (MSW), tires, hazardous waste, biomass, river sediment, coal and petroleum coke – and convert them into synthesis gas (syngas) that can be used to generate power, liquids fuels or other sustainable sources of energy.

Gasification occurs in an oxygen starved environment so feedstocks are vaporized, not incinerated. Due to the high operating temperatures in the plasma gasification process:

  • No bottom ash or fly ash that requires treatment or landfill disposal is generated.
  • Metals and non-combustible inorganics are melted and captured in an environmentally benign slag, which can be used as construction aggregate.
  • Each plasma gasification application will have a differing environmental profile, but in general terms a plasma gasification facility will have very low emissions of NOx, SOx and negligible dioxins and furans.

As well, in the plasma gasification process CO2 can be captured and sequestered.

  • Twenty year accumulated GHG loading for four power generation options.
  • Results compared on a basis of 1,000,000 MWh.

Source: SCIENTIFIC CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS, INC.
According to the Scientific Certification Systems, Inc. (SCS) "the Plasma Gasification Combined Cycle (PGCC) system provides the lowest greenhouse gas emissions of the evaluated systems for waste disposal, and similar greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as the industry benchmark for power generation- a Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) facility."

Alter NRG’s 750 tpd WTE plasma gasification facility “will result in substantial renewable energy production from post consumer waste streams that would normally have to be land filled, while providing state-of-the-art emission control of:

  • Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
  • Acid gases such as hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF)
  • Oxides of nitrogen (NOx)
  • Mercury (Hg)
  • Particulates (PM, PM10 and PM2.5) including non-mercury heavy metals
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOC) including dioxins, furans and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons

“These emissions will be substantially lower than traditional mass burn or refuse derived fuel processes commonly used in the waste to energy industry. Diversion of MSW from solid waste landfills (where the potent greenhouse gas methane is formed) will result in substantial net decreases in greenhouse gas emissions as CO2 equivalent. Since the proposed organic feed stocks are post consumer waste streams, the project represents a renewable and sustainable clean energy resource.”  - ENSR / AECOM