Technolog

ies
Waste to
Energy

JP Hoffman
Siemens

Agenda

Why WtE?
Before Putting Into Service
Challenges
Opportunities
Risks
Rewards
Lessons Learned

Waste Material Utilization: Reuse,

Recycle, Energy Recovery
http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/RRC/waste_material_u
tilization.html
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Why Waste-to-Energy?
Benefits
Reduce U.S.
dependence on fossil
fuels
Increase energy
security
Reduce GHG emissions
Meet future policy
emissions controls

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Environmental Aspects1
Reduction of GHG
Avoided methane emissions from landfills
Avoided CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion
Avoided CO2 emissions from metals production

Water
Use
Discharges

1 http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/municipal-sw.html

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Environmental Aspects
Solid Waste Generation

MSW Waste-to-Energy generation creates a solid waste

called ASH
Depending on state and local restrictions, non-hazardous
ash may be disposed of in a MSW landfill or recycled for use
in roads, parking lots, or daily covering for sanitary landfills

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Before Putting into Service

Preliminary Requirements1
Applicable Concept and Design

Feedstock management
Design/Build/Operate/Maintain Agreement

Environmental Considerations

Air Emissions Permit

Water Use/Discharge Permit
Environmental Impact Requirement
Regulatory Conformance

1 http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wtert/faq.html
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Before Putting into Service

Preliminary Requirements1
Siting

Permits
Waste Availability/Supply Commitments
Ash Disposal (landfill) Capacity

Financing Options

Contract Vehicles / PPA / EUL

Incentives & Guarantees
Exploration Expense
Tax Credits

1 http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wtert/faq.html
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Facing Challenges
Public Opposition

Environmental groups often form opposition against new WtE

plants regardless of technology used
Need to understand the impact this may have on permitting
process, utility process and financing options
Understand timeline for public notification

Technical and Performance Issues

System must meet performance criteria to remain

economically viable
Newer, more experimental systems are risky because they
have no demonstrated performance records

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Facing Challenges
Cost Challenges

Exploration
New Infrastructure
New Generation Plant

Waste Stream Supply Issues

Lack of supply could void any third party guarantee

Funding and Financial Issues

Changes in government contract vehicles and/or restrictions

Lack of seed money for start-up projects

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Facing Challenges
Scale Issues
Long term growth must be considered when determining
applicable size of plant
Smaller scale projects have higher levelized costs of
production

Lack of Support for Decision Making

Lack of defined, documented economic, environmental, and

technology performance metrics to inform the decisionmaking process and states varying definitions of municipal
solid waste, biomass, and WTE

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New Opportunities
ACHIEVE ENERGY
MANDATES
Energy security and
availability
Promotes long-term
affordable energy prices

Reduces waste stream

direct and indirect costs

Tipping fees of disposal

New landfill cell opening fees
Transportation costs
Labor costs

Provides base-load power

Augment on-site intermittent
renewable energy generation
technologies
Solar and Wind

Unconsumed/overproduced
electricity could be sold to
the utility

Valuable by-products for

use in other areas

Bottom ash
Biogas
Bio-char
Bio-oil
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Understanding Risks
Under-trained staff performing incorrect operation and
maintenance procedures

Improper O&M can cause low production or failure of systems

Energy price escalation

Evolving energy landscape leads to difficulty forecasting

energy prices
Utility energy pricing fluctuation based on market conditions

Waste Stream Supply

Intended use of buildings may change over time

Conservation methods may change volume or type of waste
stream produced

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Understanding Risks
Changing Emissions Standards/Environmental
Legislation

Increasingly stringent emission standards may create future

costs to comply if goals are not aggressive enough in design

Plant Equity

Useful life is considered to be 20+ years

Current market estimate at 20+ years

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Understanding Risks
Contract Clarification

Risk Responsibility Matrix

Understanding of scope of supply, limits of liability, liquidated
damages, defects liability, periods, intellectual property,
interface agreements and financial projections/guarantees prior
to signing contracts

Funding

High capital costs for Waste-to-Energy plant

Construction costs based on specific time period, if completion
is delayed, damages may accumulate

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Earning Rewards
Increased energy security and energy savings

May allow installation to increase and change mission

objectives, diverting energy spend for other uses

Prestige associated with achievement of energy goals

Plants are eligible for REC credits that may be sold to other
energy users to offset carbon footprint and provide additional
funding for the installation

As technologies are used and refined, the next

generation becomes less expensive and more efficient

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Lessons Learned
Market
Look for projects with financial incentives, skilled
workforces, adequate transmission and abundant input
source

Project Team
Create a team with decision makers, compliance officers,
financial experts and appropriate engineering staff
Find common goals and determine generation
misconceptions early to prevent unnecessary roadblocks
during negotiations

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Lessons Learned
Project Schedule

Projects that are shovel ready can better adapt to changing

conditions
Understand the environmental regulations required prior to
committing to a schedule, certain studies can only be
performed during specific intervals within the year

Site Considerations

Clearly defining the level of priority for project development

and creating master site and energy plans can help resolve
any land-use conflicts existing at potential sites

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Lessons Learned
Utility Regulations as Barriers

Interconnection, net-metering

O&M is Key for Success

Improper maintenance reduces system efficiency and

threatens the useful life of equipment.

Training

Required interval training and proper documentation

Feedstock management

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Questions?

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