The rationale that fuel streams produced from waste plastics have less effect on climate change is classic west coast talk that has been used to justify other environmental programs. Essentially this is like coal gasification in that what comes out is highly processed methane, ethane, etc.
Interesting. But I have lots of questions. The SOBE website looks like a startup that hasn't even built their first facility, and most startup businesses fail. I doubt this idea will become at all successful without subsidies, which I am against. When energy gets expensive enough, and we're heading that way rapidly, the time may come when waste to energy will become economically feasible - but maybe never - nothing was said about energy in vs energy out, or financial capital and operating costs, in this enthusiastic piece. SOBE Energy Solutions, SES and their association with CHZ Tech (see website) are wonderfully glorified in this article, which makes me wonder if the authors have personal investments in the venture. If they do, they should disclose it. If they don't, I apologize for casting suspicion. (I see David Ferro is Chief Executive of SOBE Energy Solutions, but had to go to the site to find that out.)
SOBE is getting ready to actually run. They've had to deal with NIMBYism, but are going forward. Followed their progress on the local talk/news station out of Youngstown.
How close is it to being economically viable ? Even if it can’t match other sources in scale , seems like using it , rather than having to store it in some dump solves a second problem that is a huge cost ?
It's getting harder to start new landfills. Also, too many areas are going to higher renewable mandates, so previously uneconomical sources start to pencil out.
Too much support for Club of Rome LIMITS to GROWTH propaganda in this post, but of course all use of waste should be embraced whenever economically feasible. However, NO SUBSIDIZED boondoggles!
Another excellent article by you and Ron Stein. Just to add my two cents, I worked at most of the major Waste to Energy Plants in the U.S. What always struck me about these and also the large co-generation power plants at Paper Mills, was that the generators were perhaps up to 100 MW. Most 25-50 MW units. I support the comments in the article but the reality is for Bulk electric power generation, from a guy who worked at most if not all types of thermal plants, the scale is much different on the Primary fuel providing power to the electric Grid. Coal, Gas and Nuclear are about 80% and if the Waste to Energy plants by comparison are much less and the waste stream, although large, cannot replace coal, nuclear or gas fuel. Not trying to nit pick, just a fact.
Interesting, thank you. Substack is like college for guys like me that do blue collar work.
The rationale that fuel streams produced from waste plastics have less effect on climate change is classic west coast talk that has been used to justify other environmental programs. Essentially this is like coal gasification in that what comes out is highly processed methane, ethane, etc.
Interesting. But I have lots of questions. The SOBE website looks like a startup that hasn't even built their first facility, and most startup businesses fail. I doubt this idea will become at all successful without subsidies, which I am against. When energy gets expensive enough, and we're heading that way rapidly, the time may come when waste to energy will become economically feasible - but maybe never - nothing was said about energy in vs energy out, or financial capital and operating costs, in this enthusiastic piece. SOBE Energy Solutions, SES and their association with CHZ Tech (see website) are wonderfully glorified in this article, which makes me wonder if the authors have personal investments in the venture. If they do, they should disclose it. If they don't, I apologize for casting suspicion. (I see David Ferro is Chief Executive of SOBE Energy Solutions, but had to go to the site to find that out.)
SOBE is getting ready to actually run. They've had to deal with NIMBYism, but are going forward. Followed their progress on the local talk/news station out of Youngstown.
How close is it to being economically viable ? Even if it can’t match other sources in scale , seems like using it , rather than having to store it in some dump solves a second problem that is a huge cost ?
It's getting harder to start new landfills. Also, too many areas are going to higher renewable mandates, so previously uneconomical sources start to pencil out.
Too much support for Club of Rome LIMITS to GROWTH propaganda in this post, but of course all use of waste should be embraced whenever economically feasible. However, NO SUBSIDIZED boondoggles!
I agree!
Another excellent article by you and Ron Stein. Just to add my two cents, I worked at most of the major Waste to Energy Plants in the U.S. What always struck me about these and also the large co-generation power plants at Paper Mills, was that the generators were perhaps up to 100 MW. Most 25-50 MW units. I support the comments in the article but the reality is for Bulk electric power generation, from a guy who worked at most if not all types of thermal plants, the scale is much different on the Primary fuel providing power to the electric Grid. Coal, Gas and Nuclear are about 80% and if the Waste to Energy plants by comparison are much less and the waste stream, although large, cannot replace coal, nuclear or gas fuel. Not trying to nit pick, just a fact.
I agree with your final point, of course!