Generating Energy from Waste: How to Make it Happen

The world is growing old, and the conventional energy forms are becoming extinct. Although these energy forms have served us for so long, they also contribute to global concerns. The major problems caused by these energy forms are global warming and greenhouse effects. Therefore, the move towards unconventional and alternate energy sources is crucial. However, to achieve this and secure the future, innovation will play a big role. This is the genesis of generating energy from waste, and how it has come to the limelight. 

Energy from waste refers to the processes used in generating energy in the form of electricity or heat from waste materials. This process requires different methods and technologies to compress and dispose of waste while generating energy from the waste. 

Every month, wastes are produced in millions of tons worldwide. These wastes are either exported to developing or third world countries or used for landfills. Yet this continues to have a tremendous environmental impact, especially on human health, wildlife, and the ecosystems. This has increased the pressure on waste treatment plants, which results in the development of several new methods of generating energy from waste. 

The increasing public awareness informs the rise in the circular economy about the harmful effects of the waste disposal culture. This is in addition to the obvious fact that the world’s resources are finite and are approaching their twilight. This means that new products have to last longer. Also, when it is impossible to fix a product, we must try to recover materials from it that may still be useful or reused.  

Methods of generating energy from waste

Energy from waste generation is a forward-thinking move for the present and the future. The different processes used to achieve this are grouped into two types: thermal technology and non-thermal technology.

(Source: https://www.bioenergyconsult.com/facts-about-waste-to-energy-projects/)

Thermal technology

According to EssayMama, some of the processes involved in thermal technology are depolymerization, gasification, pyrolysis, and plasma arc gasification. 

• Depolymerization

This process requires water and thermal decomposition to heat organic compounds at high temperatures. It takes bio-mass and plastics as the primary ingredients and involves a parallel physics and chemical composition change. Depolymerization is used to represent or replicate the conditions for fossil fuel creation.

Pyrolysis is simply the same method as depolymerization, with the only difference being that water is not present in this method. This process doesn’t use oxygen and happens in inert gases. This means that pyrolysis takes place under lower temperatures compared to depolymerization and produces fewer emissions of air pollutants. 

• Gasification 

This process is about producing gas from waste. Our daily wastes, such as product packaging, bottles, clothing, appliances, furniture, grass clippings, etc., are good feeds for high-temperature chemical conversion. These wastes are combined with steam or oxygen to produce synthesized gas used for several useful products, such as fertilizers, transport fuels, or electricity. 

• Plasma arc gasification

This process uses plasma technologies to produce synthesized gas. The gas is ionized using a plasma torch to obtain synthesized gas. This process not only generates electricity but also compresses the waste. 

Non-thermal technology

According to dissertation help services, some of the processes involved in non-thermal technology are fermentation, anaerobic digestion, and MBT treatment. 

• Fermentation

This process is developed for the management of energy from waste. It is a biochemical metabolic process that involves energy extraction from carbohydrates without oxygen. The actions of enzymes cause the organic substrate to undergo chemical changes. It is used to produce alcoholic beverages like beer and wine. It is also used in the production of lactic acid from sour foods. This allows it to be used for preservation. 

• Anaerobic digestion 

This process uses microorganisms for the destruction of biodegradable content. The process is slow and does not require oxygen, and is used both on commercial and domestic levels to tap energy release and use the energy during the process. 

Anaerobic technologies are also considered worthy replacements for fossil fuels and good agents to combat greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 

• MBT technology

Mechanical Biological Treatment technology relates to a system of solid waste treatment. This technology uses industrial, commercial, and domestic wastes to generate other products. The system enables the recovery of materials in the mixed waste and stabilizes the material’s biodegradable parts.  

The plants’ sorting components typically look like a facility to recover materials. The components are either configured to produce refuse-derived fuel used for generating power or recovering individual elements of the wastes. Some of the components of this mixed stream of waste that are recoverable are glass, plastic, ferrous metals, and non-ferrous metals. 

Conclusion 

There are several methods of generating energy from waste. Energy from the thermal and non-thermal processes is renewable and clean energy. It also has minimal environmental impact.

Source: https://usgreentechnology.com/generating-energy-from-waste-how-to-make-it-happen/