Electricity + Control July 2019

Waste to fuel processes can reduce carbon impacts

R esearch from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates that nine out of ten people breathe in polluted air each day. Speaking on World Environment Day, June 5 2019, Jason McNeil, CEO at Interwaste, said, “We encourage all South Africans to reflect on the role everyone has to play in this and, more importantly, what proactive steps can be taken to combat air pollution.” TheWHO identifies the burning of fossil fuels as one of the top three contributors to carbon emissions, which contribute to increasing global temperatures as well as negative health impacts. Recently, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicated that if coal-fired electricity is not replaced by 2050, the world would be likely to see a major climate crisis in a just 20 years. “The concern, however, lies in the fact that while there are many projects on the go, the relatively competitive cost of coal-fuelled electricity supply is a hindrance to alternatives being implemented effectively. In Africa, this reality is less likely in the short-term,” said McNeil. So, what can be done? McNeil says the waste industry, together with corporate South Africa, can make a real difference in the fight against air pollution. In fact, the waste sector has a fundamental role to play in innovating to create opportunities to reduce pollution and help big business find alternatives to their air pollution outputs. “It’s about managing production output wastes as best as possible while finding sustainable solutions for the fuels and inputs that companies need to continue producing products and delivering services.” He highlights three key innovations that can reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and consequently their impact on our air quality – using waste as a key alternative. Natural gases and anaerobic digestion Natural gases, generated from biological, naturally occurring processes such as in landfills and anaerobic digestion, are a by-product from bacteria eating and breaking down organic matter. The resultant gases are rich in methane and therefore combustible. This type of gas presents a key opportunity. Through innovation, waste management companies can now flare the gas, destroying the methane to ensure it is not hazardous to the environment, as it is an ozone-destroying gas. Furthermore, this gas flaring can be financially beneficial as carbon credits can be claimed or traded. Savings like this are essential for businesses, especially now as government institutes the new carbon tax. By using the natural process of anaerobic digestion, waste can form part of the fuel value chain, reduce reliance on coal-powered electricity for smaller entities and contribute to a more sustainable model for electricity supply.

Flaring of gases generated through anaerobic breakdown of organic waste presents a viable waste to fuel technology.

Electricity + Control

JULY 2019

39