Re: "autoclaving and pyrolysis gasifier"

[Neil Tangri <ntangri@essential.org>]

Samir,

This nonsense is nothing more than an incinerator dressed up in fancy
words. They claim to do some initial separation of recyclabes (only those
with high resale value, I'm sure), and then convert the rest by "pyrolitic
gasification". That means, "burning". 

The most outrageous suggestion is that the incinerator ash (which they
prefer to call char) can be used as compost or fertilizer -- this is
extremely toxic stuff, with lots of dioxins, furans and heavy metals.
Putting it on fields is about the best way to ensure a poisoning of your
food supply.

The greenhouse warming figures are an assumption based on the amount of
methane that might be produced if it were all landfilled, and none of the
methane were collected, but instead vented to the atmosphere. 

The reason they use all this high-flown language is to avoid saying
"incinerators" and "burn" which will be a dead giveaway. They know
perfectly well that they're up to no good. 

Neil


At 15:39 9/17/99 -0400, etl wrote:
> Hi All,
>
>If you people remember I had sent out a query on a technology called '
>"autoclaving and pyrolysis gasifier"  being developed in Australia.
>
>Well GP Australia have sent this information. They will be digging deeper.
>As soon as some more info  comes through I shall pass it on.
>
>Shanthi!
>
>samir
>*************************
>The $2 million grant, one of five awarded from a field of 41 proposals,
>will go towards the design and installation of a Solid Waste Energy
>Recycling Facility (SWERF) at Wollongong City Council's Whytes Gully
>landfill site.
>
>The technology has been developed by Energy Developments Limited, recipient
>of the grant. The facility will recover reusable and recyclable resources
>prior to the conversion of the organic components into gas and then
>electricity.
>
> 
>
>Oppornity for industry
>The SWERF technology comprises a combination of new processes acquired or
>developed by Energy Developments over the past three years and presents a
>major opportunity for Australia renewable energy and waste management
>industries, both here and in overseas markets.
>
>SWERF is a sophisticated, environmentally friendly energy recovery facility
>that, with integrated recycling, has the added potential to eliminate the
>landfilling of putrescible waste from municipal solid wastes and selected
>components of commercial waste streams.
>
>A SWERF is a combination of three separate technologies:
>
>* an initial pre-treatment process separates recyclable products from the
>waste stream and converts the balance into a biomass feedstock,
>
>. SWERF converts this feedstock into a biomass fuel gas using a pyrolytic
>gasification process; 
>
>and high efficiency engine generator sets are run on this fuel to produce
>renewable ('green') electricity for sale to the grid.
>
>A by-product of the clean gasification process is char' which can be
>utilised in composting or agricultural applications.
>
>The individual components of the SWERF have been proved in either
>stand-alone applications or as part of other technology groups. The project
>at Whytes Gully landfill facility in Wollongong represents the first
>integrated SXWRF combining the three prime technologies in a fully
>commercial project application.
>
>By preventing the formation and resulting escape of landfill gas into the
>atmosphere, the SWERF process will have a substantial impact on greenhouse
>gas emissions. Each well tonne of dry organic waste converted into
>electricity should reduce these emissions by more than 7000 kilograms of
>C02 equivalent.
>
>Energy Developments Limited believes that the SWERF technology will provide
>a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions approximately five times that of
>other renewable technologies, including wind and solar, per unit of
>electricity ,,generated.
>
> 
>
>
>
>
>c/o Srishti
>#1001 Antariksh Bhawan
>22, K.G. Marg
>New Delhi - 110001
>ph: 3328006, 3725325
>Fax 4632727
>