Plasma Gasification (PG) offers a much safer alternative to incineration. Waste is heated to over 5,000ºC, destroying all toxic chemicals and allowing heavy metals to be drained off. PG produces no toxic waste either to air or land. The only waste product is an inert glassy residue. It also produces synthetic gas which is used to generate electricity. However in an article in the Courier on 10 November, Sita (the incineration company) claimed that PG used more electricity than it produced. I wanted to hear the other side of the story, so I emailed Plasco - one of many PG companies - to hear their side of the story. Here is the email I sent them, and their reply.
20.11.06
To:
Guy Leblanc, Plasco Energy Group
Dear Guy,
The
struggle to persuade Perth & Kinross Council to refuse planning permission
for an energy-to-waste incinerator goes on.
"This
converts the waste into a gas, which still contains heavy metals, acid gases and
particulate matter. The gas is cleaned before being used to generate
electricity in a gas engine. The
process is a net consumer of electricity, not a producer, and it produces a
solid residue from the gas cleaning system."
I would
very much appreciate your comments on these claims.
Also, I
have three questions for you:
1.
What are the comparative costs of incineration and plasma gasification?
One advocate of plasma gasification has claimed that the net cost of PG is £21-£30
per ton, compared with £63 per ton for running an incinerator, plus the costs
of long-term health damage in the surrounding area caused by particulate
emissions.
2.
What particulate emissions, if any, are produced by PG? Your FAQs simply
say "Our waste conversion process produces no harmful air emissions" -
but can you confirm that there are no PM2.5 particles or other nasty stuff?
3.
Finally, if Perth & Kinross Council were to consider plasma
gasification as a possible alternative, what sort of financial transaction would
be required to interest your company in providing and running the necessary
facility (bearing in mind that local authorities in Scotland are always strapped
for cash)?
Many
thanks,
Michael
Gallagher
___________________________________________________________
23.11.06
Dear
Mr. Gallagher
T
I
have asked Guy to permit me to respond to your e-mail
Gasification
is a term used broadly by both the public and industry. There are also many
different forms/processes that are called gasification. Sita may very well be
correct in their statement about the gas produced from certain gasification
processes. They are however incorrect in using that statement in regards to our
synthetic gas. The proof is in the pudding as the saying goes. Our gas is used
in a reciprocating engine to produce electricity. We use Jenbacher engines and
the manufacture GE guarantees the electricity output. GE would not offer any
such guarantee and the engines would not be able to produce power if the Sita
statements were true. The gas must be clean to operate in an engine. This is the
very point that differentiates Plasco Gasification Process from
"gasification". Most gasification technologies run the gas through
steam boilers to generate power. Only the Plasco syngas can meet
the consistent quality, temperature, pressure, heating value, required to
meet the specifications needed for a reciprocating engine.
The
Plasco Gasification Process is not a net consumer of power due to the ability to
use our quality synthetic gas in an engine. Our patented process is designed on
efficient use of energy to transform a waste feedstock into a quality gas. Our
process uses approximately 20% of the energy produced in the process. For each
tonne of waste we produce net saleable power of 1.15Kwh when using reciprocating
engines and 1.4Mwh per tonne when we employ combined cycle. The very best
incinerators today can get 600kwh from each tonne of waste. Ask Sita how much
power they can produce for sale from each tonne of waste.
The
solid residue created from the gas cleaning process is approximately 300 grams
of heavy metals and particulate matter for each tonne of waste processed. If no
batteries etc. were improperly disposed of by the public this number would be
lower. Ask Sita how much ash they have for disposal at a controlled landfill.
Now on your specific questions
1.
This is not an answer we provide. The reason is we build, own, operate our
plants. Therefore operating cost is not an issue for municipalities. We
negotiate a long term contract for taking the waste at a fee which is lower than
alternative solutions. We take all financial and environmental responsibility.
There are no down stream health risks. The only emissions to atmosphere come
from the engines making electricity. The emissions are well below EU regulation.
The emissions are below that produced by an automobile.
2.
Please see on our web site the following table of emissions for our process.
http://www.plascoenergygroup.com/documents/Plasco%20Emissions%20for%20Ottawa.pdf
3.
We would be very interested. We require a long term waste contract. Can you tell
me the volume of waste that would be available? We require a minimum of 68,000
tonnes per year for a commercial sized plant. Perth & Kinross do not need to
finance this facility. Assistance with land so the plant goes where it is
acceptable to the community, access to the power grid, a 20 year contract for
the waste is what we are looking for.
Mr.
Gallagher if the Council would be prepared to receive a presentation from us,
and if the waste volume is available we would be pleased to meet with them.
Thank you for taking an interest.
Sincerely,
Randy
Bennett
VP
Business Development
Plasco Energy Group