Posts Tagged ‘landfills’

EPA submits Greenhouse Gas rules to White House

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

It will be interesting to watch how the recently submitted EPA rules to the White House drive new dialogue among business leaders on how reporting requirements will affect bottom lines.  How will the new “tailoring rules” ultimately apply?

The Wall Street Journal reports: “EPA officials say the agency wants to finalize the rule by the end of April, but that timetable may slip into May. The EPA said earlier this year that the first phase would likely target facilities that emit more than 75,000 to 100,000 tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent a year starting in 2011. The agency hasn’t yet made clear the exact first-phase threshold.”

Landfills may be particularly impacted and would present a valuable opportunity  for municipal leaders to explore how the SWAP could be implemented to safely and cheaply process landfill gas (LFG) for power.  A recent article from the New York Times delves into the broad potential impact of these rules.

In the United States alone, there were more than 3,500 landfills in operation as documented by the EPA in 1995.  In 2003, we generated 236.2 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), an increase of 15 percent above 1990 levels and 168 percent above 1980 levels.  The number of landfill gas projects that generate electricity on-site, supply industrial gas-fired boilers, or produce substitute natural gas rules, such as compressed natural gas (CNG) jumped from approximately 400 in 2005 to 519 in 2009.

Many landfills are now accepting large quantities of construction and demolition debris in addition to MSW, which in sufficient quantities results in landfill gases with relatively high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S).  H2S is generally the byproduct of bacterial decomposition of construction wastes, particularly drywall containing calcium sulfate.   There is an interesting article from Environmental Leader on H2S and potential reporting requirements this month.

Landfill gas cleanup is likely to experience significant growth in the future as a renewable energy option.  Each landfill is normally a stand-alone operation close to an urban location.  Integrating SWAP technology at these locations, it is believed, would require minimal interface activities with existing processes.

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South Africa first with Landfill gas to energy project, World Cup shining

Monday, February 8th, 2010

The first landfill gas-to-energy project has been completed on the African continent.   Funded in part by the city of Durban, South Africa, the nearly $12.9 million facility will produce 10MV of electricity and is expected to serve the eThekwini  municipality for the next eight years.

Bisisar Road Landfill, outside Durban

Bisisar Road Landfill, outside Durban

The power from the Bisisar Road, La Mercy and MarianHill landfill sites will help mitigate power shortage issues and reduce the amount of CO2 released by conventional coal-fired power stations.

The South African government has now asked Durban to consult other cities on generating power from landfill gas.  Energy Minister Dipuo Peters called the project a benchmark for the future.

As reported by the Times, her department contributed nearly $3 million to the Bisisar project.

“I appeal to the eThekwini Municipality to help other municipalities to do this because you have succeeded. I will tell other departments to come to you,” she said.

Already in green spotlight

The world spotlight has been shining on South Africa recently in the run-up to 2010 FIFA World Cup June 11 – July 11.  The host nation has been working hard to burnish its green image in the face of criticism it is not doing enough to reduce its carbon footprint over the course of the tournament.  Africa’s first World Cup will reportedly generate 2.75 million tons of carbon emissions. This number takes into account international travel, intercity transport, stadium construction, etc.

A number of local organizations are proposing measures to bring this figure down.  One is Promoting Access to Carbon Equity (PACE). According to Anton Cartwright, co-founder of PACE, investment in carbon trading and offsets makes the most sense.

“It would, by my reckoning, cost around R200 million [$26.8 million] to offset the 2010 emissions by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects,” Cartwright wrote.

“That is a large investment, but it is a fraction of the cost of our cheapest stadium, and you don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to work out that renewable energy is likely to make a longer and more positive contribution to South Africa’s future than many of our stadiums,” he added.

Meanwhile, cities like Durban appear to be doing their part.  In the United States, a growing number of landfill gas projects are underway, and many of those efforts are being supported by the Environmental Protection Agency.  We took a look at these projects in our previous post.

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Swapsol ushers in solution to clean up landfill gas?

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Laboratory studies show the SWAP drives a Sulfur Cycle which enables the user to generate H2S from most hydrocarbon wastes.  This of course is important because the SWAP uses H2S to convert CO2 into harmless compounds.

Landfill Methane flare

Landfill Methane flare

Landfills in particular, may benefit from the SWAP as they emit Methane.  These landfills can also become a source for raw materials.

The SWAP, which converts CO2 by rearranging its atomic components, may be used to create carbon-sulfur molecules called Carsuls, which may find application as carbon fiber-like materials in construction, aerospace, manufacturing and electronics.

It could very well be that as the SWAP is more widely adopted in areas such as waste management, sour gas and crude oil refining, among others, that we may begin to see the dawn of a new energy economy as we usher in a new era of literally profiting through environmental stewardship.

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DISCOVERY TO REDUCE HUMAN IMPACT ON GLOBAL WARMING

Monday, October 26th, 2009

CO2 conversion eliminates industry liability opens door to new energy economy

HOUSTON (Oct. 28, 2009) – Two New Jersey scientists have discovered a simple chemical process to break down carbon dioxide (CO2) and eliminate nuisance pollutants, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in refining operations. Their discovery could redefine how science looks at energy. SWAPSOL Corp. will present to industry on Oct. 28, “Carbon Focus Day,” at the Global Refining Strategies Summit in Houston.

The invention changes preconceived notions about energy and chemistry. Raymond Stenger, environmental engineer, and James Wasas, an entrepreneurial chemist, developed the Stenger-Wasas Process (SWAP) based on a previously unknown exothermic interaction between H2S and CO2 that eliminates both. The SWAP is independently verified by standard analytical instruments to convert CO2 by more than 99 percent into carbon-sulfur polymers (Carsuls), water and sulfur in the presence of H2S over an abundant and inexpensive catalyst. The SWAP can also recycle waste hydrocarbons (compounds containing carbon and hydrogen) and break down CO2 in a self-sustaining cycle.

“We are building our company around the chemistry,” said Wolf Koch, Ph.D., Director of SWAPSOL Corp. “We are now detailing processes under which we will review potential business relationships with interested parties with intent to launch initial steps next year.”

Thermodynamic and chemical kinetics studies indicate that the SWAP is exothermic, and the heat liberated can be managed and controlled. Independently conducted gas chromatography studies (GC) verified H2S reduction to below 4 ppb.

Eliminating carbon liabilities for industry

By eliminating greenhouse gases, refiners and other carbon-emitters may profit by not polluting and by avoiding carbon penalties. Wasas, SWAPSOL’s chief science officer, predicts the SWAP could also earn carbon credits for those who implement the technology.

“Hydrogen sulfide is the oil and gas industry’s enemy No. 1,” Wasas said. “Tremendous money and energy is required to get rid of H2S, and traditional methods create more hazardous waste, increasing costs and further polluting the environment.”

Hydrogen production, landfill waste potential

The SWAP can be used to purify gas inside landfills prior to combustion, thereby eliminating the harmful release of pollutants into the air. The SWAP-driven sulfur cycle also allows for related reactions that can produce hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide. For refiners this may be a cost-effective solution to recover hydrogen while it may find other applications for fuel cells.

“I can’t tell you how proud we are of the work Jim and I have been able to accomplish,” said Stenger, SWAPSOL’s president. “To be able to make a contribution like this to the world is something I’ve dreamed about for years.”

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