Using Biomass to Produce Energy

Using biomass to produce energy makes sense because biomass and biofuels made from biomass are alternative energy sources to fossil fuels—coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Thus, while burning fossil fuels or biomass does release carbon…
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Burning Wood for Energy

Is burning wood for energy a good idea?  Certainly, using wood, wood pellets, and charcoal for heating and cooking can replace fossil fuels and may result in lower CO2 emissions overall. Also, wood can be…
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Gasification Technologies

In gasification technology selection, a necessary initial step is to narrow the search down to a smaller subset of gasification technologies that best match the application and have achieved the necessary technology readiness level (TRL). …
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Collection of Landfill Gas or Biogas

Biogas results from the metabolic activity of microorganisms on organic matter. It is created in the biological processes in sewage treatment plants, waste landfills, and livestock manure management systems.  Landfill gas is a type of…
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Burning Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

Burning municipal solid waste (MSW) or garbage in waste-to-energy plants certainly results in less waste being buried in landfills. However, burning this garbage has the potential to produce air pollution and release chemicals into the…
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Sustainability Consulting

What is sustainability consulting?  Sustainability can be defined as the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources to maintain an ecological balance.  Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability…
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Algae Energy

Algae represent a potentially promising resource for energy and food production due to their high photosynthetic efficiency. An acre of land growing algae can produce 50 tons of biomass per acre compared to 1 to…
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Polyurethane Science

Polyurethane science is the study of all types of polyurethanes, including both thermosets and thermoplastics and their applications.  Polyurethane chemistry is incredibly versatile, allowing the incorporation of recycle content and bio renewable content, while at…
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Ash Disposal in Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Plants

Ash from waste-to-energy plants often contains high concentrations of the various metals that were present in the original waste, and ash disposal is critical. As an example, textile dyes, printing inks, and ceramics may contain…
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