38 replies to this topic

[zararina]

Landfills that are being used for a very long time could produce methane gas that can be converted into energy or electricity. Here is an article about Montalban Methane Power Plant here in the Philippines.

Quote

"It's a significant amount of power. And it's power that will go to waste. You either collect it, or it goes to the atmosphere. If it goes to the atmosphere, it is atmosphere damaging, it is also health damaging. So there are benefits other than just the power," said Bob Renfrew, the project's chief consultant.
The potential for profits are two-fold: the sale of electricity; and the sale of carbon credits by eliminating methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more ozone-damaging than carbon dioxide.

"With the Kyoto Protocol, which gives you carbon emission reductions, or we call that carbon credits, so it made the project viable, so we ventured in it," said Peregrino Fernandez, president of Montalban Methane Power Plant.

MORE

This is really another good source of alternative energy. It is true that there is money in garbage.

Do you know any other methane power plant?

[mommymumbles]

I have not heard of this at all before, but it sounds like a great idea. I would be interested in learning more about this, and I hope it is something that is really being worked on. What a great way to put tons of garbage to good use!

[Jkility]

Garbage, im sure there is alot of energy to be picked out of it as im sure we can defently say we aint ganna run out of rubbish anytime soon, im sure you could make it into energy some how or another but how exactly...

[jasserEnv]

There have been articles published on the potential of mining old land fills for their raw materials. The methane that comes off has to be collected by anyone behaving responsibly because it is a greenhouse gas, but there are numerous metals and plastics in many dumps that could be processed to becomes raw materials.

Going forward, the emphasis in many municipalities is on getting to a point where only used tissues, feminine hygiene products and dental floss need go to the dump. If you compost the organic waste, recycle the metals and the plastics, you have plenty of potential to achieve serious reductions in the amount that gets buried.

[missusyessum]

I haven't heard of any other Methane power plants besides the one in Montalban. I'm hoping the government would look into this more. Like what the article said not only do you get energy but it helps out the environment in other ways as well. It would be awesome if garbage would be the solution instead of the problem.

[Ansem]

Don't know how well most of you are with europe and news, but the south part of Italy, Naples has had garbage problems for over 4 years now, It's literally piling up and landfills are full....
There's a huge fight over who wants to import that garbage, because they will buy it from Italy, then burn it to produce energy and they would make a benefit of it ( Italy wants it gone so not a big price )
The thing is, France, Germany and even my own country Netherlands, wants that garbage so bad.
Because of recycling our garbage burners ( or whatever you call them ) are without fuel.

I say that's a good sign for a country, if you can't keep your garbage burners running, it means you are doing a good job.

[kathie_san]

Ansem, on 28 September 2011 - 06:31 AM, said:

There's a huge fight over who wants to import that garbage, because they will buy it from Italy, then burn it to produce energy and they would make a benefit of it ( Italy wants it gone so not a big price )
The thing is, France, Germany and even my own country Netherlands, wants that garbage so bad.
Because of recycling our garbage burners ( or whatever you call them ) are without fuel..

Wow! This is the first time I've heard that certain countries would actually want to "get" garbage imported to them since it's been a huge problem for most countries who's trying to eliminate the growing landfill in there areas.

[jasserEnv]

Ansem, on 28 September 2011 - 06:31 AM, said:

Don't know how well most of you are with europe and news, but the south part of Italy, Naples has had garbage problems for over 4 years now, It's literally piling up and landfills are full....
There's a huge fight over who wants to import that garbage, because they will buy it from Italy, then burn it to produce energy and they would make a benefit of it ( Italy wants it gone so not a big price )
The thing is, France, Germany and even my own country Netherlands, wants that garbage so bad.
Because of recycling our garbage burners ( or whatever you call them ) are without fuel.

I say that's a good sign for a country, if you can't keep your garbage burners running, it means you are doing a good job.

The problem with burning garbage is that it is a very poor use of of the raw materials and it generates pollution. Even the plasmification processes generate dioxins and other highly toxic materials that pollute the ground water. As well, the amount of electricity generated is a pittance in comparison to the energy saved through proper recycling of the plastics. At the same time, the water present in the organic waste all has to be boiled off before the materials can be incinerated making the process very inefficient.

[markymark12]

I think this is very interesting, and like some of the others, I've never heard of this before. I would definitely hope that countries all over the world would look into something like this, you can't tell me there isn't enough garbage around the world to make this into a huge positive for any country out there. I also find it absolutely crazy that there are actually countries arguing over who wants garbage!

[zararina]

mommymumbles, on 27 September 2011 - 11:39 AM, said:

I have not heard of this at all before, but it sounds like a great idea. I would be interested in learning more about this, and I hope it is something that is really being worked on. What a great way to put tons of garbage to good use!

There is actually a part near the land fill where some locals are enjoying free electricity processed from methane gas. There are outlets on a certain place there and locals could come and use electricity there just like for charging cell phones, ironing clothes and some other activities.

Jkility, on 27 September 2011 - 12:12 PM, said:

Garbage, im sure there is alot of energy to be picked out of it as im sure we can defently say we aint ganna run out of rubbish anytime soon, im sure you could make it into energy some how or another but how exactly...

Eighty-three vertical wells were tunnelled 40 metres deep into the mound to extract gas from the rotting waste. Pipes then send the methane to the plant, which sits a kilometre (half a mile) away from the landfill. The methane runs the plant's engines, and the engine, in turn, drives a generator which produces electricity.

- Script from the article linked above.

[neodoxa]

Might as well use it instead of letting it get up into the atmosphere.

The waste management company close to where I'm from has methane lines running under the ground at the landfill sites to collect the methane.  So at least some landfills are already on top of this, or are at least looking at the possibilities from it.

Neodoxa

[zararina]

It was right. There are so many landfills and seems the problem for increasing amount of garbage daily is hard to battle with. And so using those landfills as energy source could be one way we could "at least" benefit from the problem of garbage.

[artistry]

I have not heard of any similar plants, but what a great idea. New Jersey, where I live, has more landfills than many U. S. states. It will be fantastic if the Netherlands, France or Germany could get together with New Jersey, and help each other solve their indivdual problems. There have been reports here that, the toxins from the landfills are seeping into the ground water, which is a serious health hazard. I thnk I will contact my Congressman and inform him of those countries, which might be interested in the landfill contents, and see if it stimulates any interest. Thanks for the information, Asmen. Great post.

[Ansem]

I think the problem is that Italy is desperate to get rid of it and we can use it.
But I doubt that a state like New Jersey  would let it go without profit, after all they are capitalist hehehe.
It's just convenient for both parties, there is no energy shortage here so there's no real motivation for the countries to buy up garbage and burn it for electricity.
Also, if you think logically, it won't even do so much compared to a normal powerplant, windmill park or hydroplant.

[jasserEnv]

neodoxa, on 05 October 2011 - 07:56 PM, said:

Might as well use it instead of letting it get up into the atmosphere.

The waste management company close to where I'm from has methane lines running under the ground at the landfill sites to collect the methane.  So at least some landfills are already on top of this, or are at least looking at the possibilities from it.

Neodoxa

I think the more important factor is getting the Methane before it becomes a greenhouse gas. Were it an argument strictly on the merits of the available energy available as methane gas from the land fills, the argument might be marginal at best.

[artistry]

...Ansem, After I thought about it, the logistics would be so costly, that it would not be feasible. I have an energy saving stove I wanted to send to someone in Greece, as I am not using it. I called UPS for an estimated rate to ship it there. Only $1,300 from here to there, for a stove that has a value of about $300. Amazing. So removing garbage from the states, to a place overseas, would be a possible nightmare and would not be done. Cheers.

[Don]

Seems to me that they should be using those flames you always see at landfills for steam energy. I've heard that some companies are using it, but particularly down here in Georgia, you just don't see it very often. Seems like a terrible waste for the companies who could realistically use the power for their own use or send it upstream to the power company.

[Ansem]

artistry, on 11 October 2011 - 08:52 AM, said:

...Ansem, After I thought about it, the logistics would be so costly, that it would not be feasible. I have an energy saving stove I wanted to send to someone in Greece, as I am not using it. I called UPS for an estimated rate to ship it there. Only $1,300 from here to there, for a stove that has a value of about $300. Amazing. So removing garbage from the states, to a place overseas, would be a possible nightmare and would not be done. Cheers.

It isn't necessary to move overseas.
The main topic is about Italy -> Fra/Ned/Ger, which is close by.
Jersey could move it to say, other states, Canada and in worst case Mexico/Latin america, that's a more realistic option, because hell. shipping across continent is expensive.
I wanted to send my family a gift, I know they are in asia but paying 60 euro delivery costs for a gift of 7 euro seems odd to me.
I'll just wait for christmas then.

[artistry]

..Ansem, sure, I can see a barge moving up and down the river, looking for a home with landfill from New Jersey, just like happened some years ago, with garbage from New York, I think.  No other state over here, would want to even hear about sending or bringing it to their state. Cheers.

[kat74]

If truly garbage can be converted in to energy then a lot of research should be put in to that so that the whole idea can be adopted. there are many piles of garbage polluting our environment all over the world. I'm just imagining how it will be if only all that becomes energy. Its like killing two birds with one stone, having energy and also conserving the environment.