Waste-To-Biofuels
Here’s an article that presents the subject of waste-to-biofuels in a very readable, high-level way. In the U.S., we’re converting about 3% of our organic waste to some form of useful energy, as compared to 37% in Europe. Of course, this points to the huge potential remaining here, if we are able to assemble the public-private partnerships that are required to collect and process the waste.
In my opinion, waste to energy is the most neglected green technology pathway with the greatest potential to create savings in generation cost and reduction of overall toxic emissions.
But, NIMBY is alive and well whenever these projects reach the stage of picking a site for the action. It makes Ted Kennedy’s windmill banning arguements look pretty mild when compared to the rancor and venom spewed by those stakeholders who live downwind from an incinerator whether it is producing energy or not.
The protests are just as loud as if it was a nuclear plant they were dissing. The green activists generally line up with the homeboys and will tie a project up in the courts for longer than most developers can hold their breath and their checkbooks.
What are the key arguements against the logic of waste to energy?
1. Emission controls fail some of the time.
2. Emission controls when working property do not remove 100% of everything.
3. Traffic in the neighborhood of the plant is disruptive and dangerous for school children and pets cr
ossing the street
4. Ground water might get contaminated.
5. Rodents may take up residence among the materials being prepped for incineration.
6. Its an eyesore (aka Kennedy and the windmills)