With lawyer Angus Evers and consultant Adam Read as consulting editors, the book, published by Globe Law and Business, takes a wide look at the role of energy from waste, benefitting from the input from the spread of authors.
Nigel Mattravers, a consultant with WYG and who is currently running the Dorset Waste Partnership, explains how the biggest barrier to investment in energy from waste (EfW) is arguably the availability of waste feedstock of the quality and quantity required.
And, Mr Mattravers notes that all EfW technologies have some limitations with respect to the quality of waste that they can treat. He also refers to the number of “innovative” technologies coming to market but that these are often rejected because “they are not bankable without a number of reference plants and a significant operational history”.
Westminster city council’s waste services officer, Jarno Stet reasons that the term ‘conventional incineration’ in terms of EfW is misleading and would be better referred to as ‘grate-based waste combustion’.
A number of the contributors make the point that there are fears that EfW will mean there is less recycling. Mr Stet says this not the case, “There is no evidence that incineration distracts from recycling initiatives, for example through minimum tonnage contracts. Shortfalls on tonnage are often easily made up by procuring suitable third-party waste.”
And, he takes up the question of emissions, saying: “Arguments about the impact of emissions are also no longer valid, as flue gas treatment has been developed to such an extent.”
Advanced treatments
Advanced thermal treatments are covered by Paul Levett of Waste Transition and Keith Riley of Visimundi. They note how pyrolysis and gasification have been used in sectors other than waste for a long time.
The two contributors explain that the fuels and feedstocks in sectors other than waste are generally “more homogenous” and “whereas combustion is an aggressive process that will oxidise the fuel being burnt into carbon dioxide, water and an un-burnable residue, pyrolysis and gasification break down the molecular structure of the material. Both produce a synthesis gas, which is a fuel in its own right, and leave a residue that can contain various amounts of carbon, depending on the process conditions deployed.”
On advanced thermal treatment, the two contributors predict that future EfW development will be from within the private sector “in a marketplace that is far more competitive”. Consequently, gate fee charges are likely be lower than for traditional EfW.”
Regulation
Angus Evers looks in detail at project structuring and environmental regulation. He explains that on one level the projects are similar to other types of major infrastructure projects. But, there are, he says, two key differences. One is to do with revenue streams and the other with regard to the end products of the process.
Other authors look at topics ranging from anaerobic digestion through to site selection and planning. And, in conclusion, Mr Evers, with Adam Read and Kathryn Warren of Ricardo-AEA remark that the sector has evolved “beyond all recognition” since the 1950s and 1960s. They reflect on the drivers for plant development and the issue of subsidies around newer technologies and predict there will be a growing need for EfW for the foreseeable future.
Discount offer
Readers of letsrecycle.com can obtain copies of the book, Energy from Waste – A Practical Handbook, ISBN 978-1-909416-37-6 until July 31 2015 for £87.75 + delivery representing a discount of 35% on the normal prices. Quote EFWLR as the discount on the website of publisher Globe Law to achieve the letsrecycle.com rate or call: 01752 202301.
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