Sustainable Electricity Is, It Turns Out, A Real Thing, As New Waste to Energy Projects Demonstrate
Guest Post from Ron Stein, P.E., Lewis VanHoose and David Ferro.
Our planet has numerous resources, but they are not unlimited resources. What’s the future of humanity 100 to 500 years from now, after humans have extracted the oil, coal, lithium, and cobalt resources from the 4.5-billion-year-old Earth?
Worldwide crude oil consumption is currently estimated at roughly 96.5 million barrels per day. According to OPEC, global demand is expected to reach 109 million barrels per day. Estimations vary slightly from other sources as well, but it is predicted that we may run out of global oil from known reserves in about 50 years.
Nothing lasts forever, even the abundant coal on this planet. For coal, we may run out of global coal from known reserves in about 130 years.
As the world’s population depletes the earth’s natural resources over the next 50, 100, or more years, our grandchildren may be unable to enjoy the more than 6,000 products of our materialistic society being enjoyed by the current residents on this planet. These are products that people need and use every day without even realizing that they come from the refining process. Without oil, we are back in the stone age.
To continue the preservation of human life on earth, it’s time to get serious about conservation, efficiency improvements, and recycling the waste that humans are generating.
One of the primary areas of focus is the recovery of electricity from waste streams such as tires and plastics.
Tires: The United States generates around 280 million waste tires each year, which is roughly one tire per person. Globally, an estimated 1 billion to 1.8 billion used tires are discarded annually.
Plastic: The world produces around 400 million tons of plastic each year, which is more than double the amount produced at the beginning of the century. Growth: Since the 1970s, plastic production has grown faster than any other material. If current trends continue, global production is projected to reach 1,100 million tons by 2050.
As billions of tires and millions of tons of plastic waste are disposed of annually, these materials represent a vast, untapped source of electricity. Traditional disposal methods often lead to environmental pollution and health hazards. Waste-to-energy technology offers a sustainable alternative by converting these materials into clean electricity while reclaiming valuable products like recovered steel, coke, and carbon black.
There is a growing list of “waste to energy” companies vying for leadership in this revolution, developing and implementing groundbreaking solutions to convert waste into valuable electricity.
By focusing on recycling and electricity generation, one of those companies is SOBE, a public utility in Youngstown, Ohio, that converts waste into energy through a process called enhanced pyrolysis that is ready to begin helping manufacturing and healthcare companies meet their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals while also reducing their electricity costs.
These waste-to-energy firms provide the recycling and handling facilities for preprocessing hydrocarbon man-made-based products such as waste tires and all seven grades of plastic into feedstock used internally within the group’s (WTE) waste-to-energy conversion technology.
The feedstock is converted during the technology process inside their plants into a clean synthetic fuel gas that can be used directly for their operations or in gas turbines or reciprocating engines for electricity generation. Providing a clean, safe, and environmentally friendly solution for the repurposing of these difficult waste streams and reducing landfill usage.
This creates and establishes a true circular economy-based recycling model. It utilizes an inexhaustible stream of man-made waste, which is converted into clean energy. The byproducts produced consist of carbon black and steel, which are then repurposed for the greater good of our planet’s resources and the environment.
These waste-to-energy innovative processes are designed to be highly efficient and environmentally friendly. By combining recycling with electricity generation, the company can minimize waste and reduce the need for additional resources. The reclaimed materials can be reintroduced into the supply chain, reducing the demand for virgin materials and greenhouse gas emissions from production facilities, further contributing to a sustainable economy.
Renewable electricity generating sources, such as solar and wind power, only offer an intermittent but not sustainable alternative to the continuous electricity generation from coal, natural gas, and nuclear. Additionally, the production of solar panels and wind turbines requires significant amounts of electricity and exotic minerals and metals resources to make components of wind turbines and solar panels. They also create another problem with their waste when it is damaged, thrown away, or no longer usable.
The benefits of waste-to-electricity solutions, such as those collaboratively developed by SOBE, offer a promising alternative to traditional electricity sources.
By converting waste into electricity, these solutions can help:
Reduce waste: Waste-to-electricity technologies can divert waste from landfills, reducing the need for new landfills and minimizing the environmental impact of waste disposal.
Generate renewable electricity: The electricity produced from waste is considered renewable because it is derived from a constantly replenished resource.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Waste-to-electricity technologies can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing coal and natural gas for electricity generation.
Create jobs: The development and implementation of waste-to-electricity technologies can create jobs in the electricity sector and related industries.
The Future of Sustainable Electricity: As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change and resource depletion over the next few centuries of the world’s reserves of crude oil and exotic minerals and metals, there is a growing need for innovative solutions to our demands for electricity. Waste-to-electricity and new technologies, such as those like SOBE is working with, offer a promising path toward a more sustainable and prosperous future.
In addition to their work on waste-to-electricity solutions, SOBE collaborates with companies like Optics Consulting and other organizations to develop and commercialize other clean electricity technologies. By fostering partnerships and sharing knowledge, companies can help accelerate the transition to a sustainable electricity future.
Imagine a self-generating behind-the-meter solution that is 100% renewable, clean, and continuous technology that can be deployed in 4 MW units and can be expanded to the needs of the electricity customers. Technologies like these are coming very soon.
By harnessing the power of waste or utilizing new innovative technologies, we can focus on continuous and reliable electricity through recycling tires and plastic waste. This will help reduce our reliance on coal and natural gas, reduce our landfill footprint, protect the environment, and create a cleaner, healthier world for generations to come.
Ronald Stein, P.E. is an engineer, energy consultant, speaker, author of books and articles on energy, environmental policy, and human rights, and Founder of PTS Advance, a California based company.
Lewis VanHoose is a proven leader with 20+ years of experience in administration, driving cost-savings, fundraising, and operational excellence. Skilled in business operations, team leadership, and building strong relationships while passionately exceeding client needs and maximizing efficiency.
David Ferro is accomplished energy executive with a passion for innovation and sustainable solutions. Extensive experience in international business development, strategic planning, and operations management. Skilled in navigating complex energy markets and delivering exceptional results.
Originally published on December 30, 2024, at America Out Loud NEWS.
#Stein #WasteToEnergy #Electricity #SustainableElectricity #Waste #Energy
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.