1. Enhanced Plasma Gasification – A
Climate Change Innovative
Environmental Technology Solution
For Processing Solid Waste
Resources Into Clean Renewable
Energy – A NOW Opportunity for
NS, Canada and the Developing
World
“Addressing
Climate
Change
by
Reducing
Harmful
Methane
Green-‐House-‐Gas
Emissions,
Eliminating
Landfill
Dependency
&
Creating
Innovative
Technology
Jobs
and
Clean
Renewable
Energy
in
Canada
and
Developing
Countries!”
Nova Waste Solutions Inc., an entity of Fourth State Energy
30 JANUARY 2016
2. 2/11
Table
of
Contents
Introduction
..............................................................................................................................
3
Plasma
Gasification
.................................................................................................................
4
Comparing
Incineration
to
Plasma
Gasification
...........................................................
6
Clean
Renewable
Energy
.......................................................................................................
7
The
Innovative
Technology
Solution
................................................................................
8
Collaborative
Regulatory
Changes
.....................................................................................
9
A
Climate
Change
Impacting
Opportunity
....................................................................
10
NWSI/FSE
System
Solution
Outcomes:
................................................................................................
10
Conclusion
...............................................................................................................................
10
Carbon Impact
The carbon impact of plasma gasification is significantly lower than other waste
treatment methods. It is rated to have a negative carbon impact, especially when
compared to allowing methane to form in landfills. Gasification is also an important
enabling technology for carbon separation. It is primarily a carbon processing
technology; it transforms solid carbon into gas form.
Syngas is comprised of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The hydrogen readily
separates from the carbon monoxide allowing the hydrogen to be used while the carbon
is sequestered. The US Department of Energy has identified gasification through its
clean coal projects as a critical tool to enable carbon capture 1
Zero Waste
“Zero-waste is the recycling of all materials back into nature or the marketplace
in a manner that protects human health and the environment.”2
1
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic1431395.files/PLASMA%20GASIFICATION_Clean%20
enewable%20Fuel%20Through%20Vaporization%20of%20Waste.pdf
2
http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/index.html
3. 3/11
Introduction
Enhanced Plasma Gasification represents an immediate opportunity to address
climate change in one sector, solid waste.
• Immediate action on climate change by reducing the most harmful Green-
House-Gas (GHG), methane, which escapes from every landfill;
• Utilizes innovative technology to eliminate landfill dependency and the
harmful negative environmental impacts associated with landfilling;
• Creates new skilled technology jobs in Canada and developing countries;
• Re-uses unmarketable resources for clean, renewable energy rather than
having them decompose in the ground for decades creating lasting legacy
environmental impacts; and
• Puts communities on the path to ZERO WASTE through responsible
environmental stewardship.
Enhanced plasma gasification of solid waste resources can achieve all of these
opportunities. Its cost effective, proven and can have an immediate impact on
climate change efforts to reduce GHG in Canada and in developing countries. In
addition, this innovative technology solution can reduce municipal service
program costs, reducing strained fiscal budget pressures in communities across
Canada and create much needed new skilled job opportunities.
Nova Waste Solutions Inc. (NWSI), an entity of Fourth State Energy (FSE) has a
proven enhanced plasma gasification solution that will achieve all of these
priorities.
Figure 1 - National Inventory Graphs - 2015 NIR
4. 4/11
Escaping methane gas from landfills is recognized as one of the most harmful
GHG emissions. Globally, solid waste landfills receive over 70% of solid waste
resources from municipalities.3
In developing countries, landfill is often the only
option, with few modern environmental containment measures. Landfilling is a
harmful contributing factor to climate change and environmental pollution,
especially in developing countries. The Canadian National Inventory Report
2015, 2015NIR identifies waste as representing 4% of national climate change
emissions. Nova Scotia closely resembles the national breakdown.
"Ten years from now the world’s rapidly increasing urban population will
generate nearly 3 billion tons of MSW per year, representing an estimated
240GW of untapped energy potential."
Senior Research Analyst Mackinnon Lawrence.
Those hundreds of millions of tonnes of waste resources represent a significant
clean renewable energy, economic development, and job creation opportunity in
Canada and developing countries.
Plasma Gasification
“Enhanced plasma gasification technology system solutions” (“the system”) can
reduce municipal service program costs, improve environmental stewardship,
eliminate landfill dependency and achieve zero waste. Plasma gasification is a
proven, commercially operational, clean renewable energy from waste resource
conversion solution.
“While some still confuse modern waste-to-energy plants with incinerators of the
past, the environmental performance of the industry is beyond reproach. Studies
have shown:
• communities that employ waste-to-energy technology have higher recycling rates
than communities that do not utilize waste-to-energy.
• recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous metals from waste-to-energy plants for
recycling is strong and growing each year.
• numerous studies have determined that waste-to-energy plants actually reduce the
amount of greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere.”
Salman Zafar, Renewable Energy Expert
Plasma gasification is NOT incineration. Incineration is oxygen and fuel
accelerated combustion burning of waste in massive furnaces. It is being used
for both garbage and biomass electrical generation. However, it is not seen as
3
WWW; http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/06/06/report-shows-alarming-rise-in-amount-
costs-of-garbage; 10 January 2016.
5. 5/11
efficient or an environmental solution. The process generates significant
quantities of toxic emissions requiring extensive filtration systems and large
quantities of toxic by-products with only marginal energy recovery (<~15%). The
most obvious distinction is the massive exhaust stacks.
By comparison, modern plasma gasification facilities have no huge exhaust
emission control stacks.
Figure 2 - incineration plants
Figure 3 - Plasma Gasification Plants
6. 6/11
This innovative technology solution can be incorporated into communities to
support job creation, and other critical societal needs, such as supporting
greenhouses to grow food. As a result, there is growing interest in this solution
for northern communities where power, waste and fresh food are critical issues.
Comparing Incineration to Plasma Gasification
Waste incineration generates a residual hazardous fly-ash toxic residue up-to
30% of the original municipal solid waste (MSW) weight. The fly-ash must be
sent to a hazardous waste landfill. The facility’s harmful toxic emissions must be
filtered through expensive exhaust filtration systems. As a result of these
outcomes, incineration projects require extensive Environmental Impact
Assessment reviews and can take upwards of a decade to develop to
completion.
Plasma gasification generates no toxic emissions, residues or by-products. The
systems are scalable, enabling projects for tonnages below 50,000 tonnes per
year and larger projects in excess of 100,000 tonnes per year. The scalability
enables incorporation of multiple non-traditional and traditional waste streams
given the thermal processing and ability to manage special and contaminated
wastes.
Figure 4 - Incineration Schematic
Figure 5- Plasma Gasification Schematic
7. 7/11
Clean Renewable Energy
“Plasma gasification can create more renewable energy than the projected
energy from solar, wind, landfill gas, and geothermal energies combined.”
Georgia Institute of Technology. { Green Tech - Jun 30, 2011;
http://www.energydigital.com/greentech/1798/Plasma-Gasification-Turns-
WastetoEnergy }
The NWSI system solution generates an industry leading clean renewable
energy efficiency rate of ~40%. This represents over 11 Mega Watts of power
from an annual tonnage of approximately 100,000 tonnes of waste resources. By
comparison, assessed highly efficient incineration systems only achieve energy
recovery efficiency in the mid-teens as a result of using fuel to accelerate the
combustion and the indirect usage of heat to produce steam to energy. This
marginal energy return, and the negative outcomes of hazardous fly-ash
requiring landfilling, supports the environmentalist’s position that incineration
waste to energy is not a stewardship solution. However, academic, scientific and
municipal communities are coming to realise the opportunity that enhanced
plasma gasification represents.
4
4
http://www.energy.ca.gov/proceedings/2008-ALT-1/documents/2009-02-
17_workshop/presentations/Louis_Circeo-Georgia_Tech_Research_Institute.pdf
Figure 6 - CO2 Emission for Energy Generation Comparative
Graph
8. 8/11
The Innovative Technology Solution
The “systems” promote recovery and diversion of resources consistent with Nova
Scotia’s waste program objectives. Pre-processing of collected and delivered
materials captures marketable recyclables, including those currently ending up in
landfill. The facilities are also self-sustaining for energy requirements.
The multi-phased enhanced plasma gasification system is a patented unique
combination of plasma gasification technology vessels. Once marketable
recyclables are captured, the remaining materials are processed for introduction
into the system. Special handling systems depending on the materials to be
processed are incorporated to manage special wastes in advance of their
thermal processing.
The systems have become cost effective due to multiple revenue generation
mechanisms. Tip fees are established based on market demand and materials
received. Marketable recyclables are diverted and sold. Non-marketable waste
resources are processed into derived fuel and re-used to generate clean syngas.
European data shows diversion of recyclables increases with advanced
technology systems as a result of pre-processing and recyclables screening.
Energy from heat and syngas generates revenue from either the generation of
power or the sale of polished syngas direct into natural gas pipelines.
The patented system can be separated into three distinct process phases:
1. Non-recyclable waste resource materials processed into fuel;
2. Processed fuel transformed into syngas; and
3. Syngas used to generate clean renewable energy or sold to industry.
Figure 7 - CHO Power Patented System Schematic
9. 9/11
Collaborative Regulatory Changes
The federal government has made it clear in several recent messages that
provincial leadership and ongoing initiatives are strongly supported. NWSI has
taken a pro-active approach working with the Province of Nova Scotia in
advancing this environmental solution alternative to landfill. Numerous other
provinces {Alberta, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia} are exploring plasma
gasification as the practical alternative to landfilling.
Recent discussions with the Department of Environment and pronouncements
from the Minister of Environment (23 October 2015) confirm Nova Scotia’s
support in recognizing advanced alternative thermal processes as distinct from
incineration and a positive alternative to landfills.
“We also intend to take steps to make it easier to move ahead with
new technologies such as through Waste to Energy municipal solid
waste.
We will distinguish new technologies to ensure that projects actually
produce beneficial energy and are not simply incinerators by another
name.
And, together with a package of regulations, we will designate a class
one EA review for new thermal treatment systems rather than the
class two that is currently in place.”5
The adoption of these systems will enable the Nova Scotia to surpass its
diversion targets and significantly advance numerous climate change,
environmental and economic prosperity objectives. These projects will also
enable reducing fiscal pressures in municipal jurisdictions where waste
management programs are streamlined, and costly processing of non-
marketable materials is eliminated.
NWSI is already in talks with communities to complete feasibility studies to
confirm program costs and economic development opportunities. Each new
system can create more than 65 jobs. Depending on the processing design, and
special resource materials included in the facility operations, additional jobs
would be required. The development of facilities in NS and across Canada and in
other jurisdictions in the Caribbean and other developing countries would support
skilled fabrication jobs. The envisioned four-system model for Nova Scotia would
create over 300 jobs in four communities. These systems would also enable
processing of contaminated and special wastes addressing several provincial
environmental priorities at reduced costs.
5
Speaking Notes, Honourable Andrew Younger Minister of Environment, Event UNSM
Extended Producer Responsibility Workshop Greetings Location Holiday Inn, 437 Prince Street,
Truro, Date and Time Oct. 23, 2015, 9:30.
10. 10/11
A Climate Change Impacting Opportunity
NWSI/FSE System Solution Outcomes:
1. Reduce harmful methane GHG emissions associated with landfilling.
2. Reduce GHG emissions from MSW collection systems through
streamlined programs, combination trucks and non-intrusive facilities
located closer to communities.
3. Improve solid waste environmental outcomes through eliminating/reducing
landfill dependency.
4. Create innovative technology jobs and economic development
opportunities in Canada and developing countries.
5. Increase recovery of marketable recyclable resources.
6. Re-use waste resource materials destined for landfill (up to 95%) as a
clean renewable energy source.
7. Reduce municipal service program costs through streamlining collection,
processing, and marketing of resource materials and generate new
revenue from syngas used for energy or sold to industry.
8. Create 65 plus permanent jobs at each plasma gasification and waste
resource processing facility.
9. Develop expertise and new technology jobs in system component
fabrication.
10.Build on projects currently in development in Canada, the Caribbean and
other developing world jurisdictions.
Conclusion
Enhanced plasma gasification integrated solid waste management processing
systems can have an immediate impact on climate change, carbon impact,
innovative technology and economic development in Canada and developing
countries. Industry and governments have recognized the potential of this
solution. The proof is in the growing number of facilities being developed globally.
These systems will reduce service program and long-term environmental costs.
There is direct and immediate impact on climate change initiatives by reducing
harmful methane GHG from the closure of landfills. These systems can eliminate
the need to further damage the environment by developing new landfills. Finally,
the projects will create hundreds of new skilled permanent jobs and establish
new industrial fabrication opportunities in Canadian communities.
11. 11/11
There is growing public interest in examining practical, proven cost effective
environmental alternatives to landfill. The time is NOW with a new national
leadership focus on climate change and technological innovation for
environmental economic development. Plasma gasification for processing solid
waste resources is an climate change, environmental and economic
development opportunity for Nova Scotia and Canada.
If you would like to meet to discuss this opportunity, please do not hesitate to
contact the undersigned. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss this exciting
and worthy opportunity.
Gord Helm, Chief Technical Officer
Nova Waste Solutions Inc.
An entity of Fourth State Energy
(902) 266-3523
ghelm@fourthstateenergy.com
www.fourthstateenergy.com
“Addressing Climate Change, Closing Landfills through Technological Innovation
& Improving Resource Stewardship One Program at a Time!”
