Waste to Energy in Municipal Landfills

Is it possible to turn the waste to energy in municipal landfills or other products of value? Yes.  Many landfills are now learning about successful alternatives to simple landfilling. They are recycling difficult organics and plastics, and turning food wastes, urban bio-wastes, agricultural or food processing wastes, construction and demolition debris, utility ROW bio waste, non-recyclable waste paper, manufacturing wastes, sewage sludge, and many other items, into value propositions. Landfill composition and technology are the primary components in evaluating waste-to-value projects.This is where a waste-to-energy expert or consultant can assist. The expert should have both academic training and an extensive practical experience in various waste processes.  He or she should also have a good grasp of the economic and environmental issues surrounding the use of these processes.  Experts with waste-to-value experience should be able to assist with both the principal processes to be used and the project configurations. The expert should be able to apply these to the municipality’s particular needs.  The waste expert should be able to match inputs to the range of waste-based high value products like bio-fuels, jet fuels, biodiesel, bio-butanol, renewable CNG vehicle fuel, proteins, food-grade fats and oils, key chemicals, base load renewable power and thermal energy via CHP, and plastics monomers.

Large renewable energy and biochemical consulting firms will certainly have experts in more common areas like biofuels, biomaterials, biomass, biomass power, bio-based chemicals, biotechnologies and renewable fuels and chemicals in general.  Energy consultants should be willing to discuss client’s initial questions about renewable energy sources, the types of biofuels, biofuel companies, synthetic biology, the fermentation process, biomass renewable energy, biofuel energy, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, and about the circular economy in general.  These clean energy experts would optimally be part of a larger, multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants with a wide variety of expertise in more specialized areas like biomass production, financial due diligence, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, , biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrified biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen.  Finally, members and strategic partners of these green energy consulting firms should also  have the availability to do things like engineering, technical feasibility studies and techno-economic analysis, due diligence, and feasibility studies, and provide expert witness testimony, and should have the contacts to assist with renewable energy finance, accounting, plant safety and insurance, legal, and virtually any other services related to the bioeconomy.

Lee Enterprises Consulting is the world’s premier bioeconomy consulting group, with over 150 highly qualified experts serving in all these areas.  Take a look at our experts and the services we provide.  Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters.  For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact.  Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information. For related information, see the Role of Chemical Recycling in Landfills, Waste to energy consulting, Waste to energy technology

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