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Evaluating renewable energy potential of municipal solid waste for the City of Milwaukee / Reena Fernandes

by Fernandes, Reena

Refuse and refuse disposal -- Wisconsin -- Milwaukee

Recycling (Waste, etc.) -- Wisconsin -- Milwaukee

Waste products as fuel -- Wisconsin -- Milwaukee

Refuse as fuel -- Wisconsin -- Milwaukee

59 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Thesis advisor: Dr. Carol Diggelman

Committee members: Dr. Frances Mahuta, Michael Schuck

Introduction -- Literature review: Municipal solid waste in United States; Solid waste management in Wisconsin; WTE case studies -- Methodology: Municipal solid waste in Milwaukee; Energy recovery; Emissions; Cost estimates; Barriers to WTE industry -- Conclusions -- A: Amount of energy recovered from landfilling MSW -- B: WARM model - methodology of comparing WTE to landfilling.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) stream as a source of renewable energy by comparing energy recovery from the baseline situation-landfilling to that of the alternative-waste-to-energy (WTE). The City of Milwaukee which is located in Southeast Wisconsin is used as a case study. The State of Wisconsin has a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and is moving towards renewable energy goals. Legislation enacted in March 2006 increased renewable-energy requirements and established an overall statewide renewable-energy goal of 10% by December 31, 2015. We Energies in their Power the Future program has targeted 5% of their retail electricity sales to be generated from renewable (winds, solar, and biomass) energy sources by 2011.

To maximize the resource value in MSW it is important to address each component of the MSW separately as the individual components of MSW vary considerably in energy content. Plastics have high energy content at around 14000 Btu/lb. MSW with food waste (70% water) and recyclables (glass, metals) removed is a potential fuel for WTE systems, which recover energy resources in residual MSW, particularly waste paper and plastics. Food degrades rapidly before landfill liners go on the the lignin in wood doesn't degrade anaerobically in a landfull. Hence, the energy in biodegradable components of MSW, such as food, wood, is largely lost when MSW is landfilled.

Based on many assumptions and calculations, it is estimated that City of Milwaukee's MSW contains total energy of 3.02E+12 Btu/year and around 5230 Btu/lb which can be recovered when MSW is mass burned in a WTE facility. Switching to WTE can generate a net of 17 MW of energy. Excluding the amount of energy obtained from plastics, a fossil fuel derived material approximately, 16 MW can contribute towards Wisconsin's Renewable Portfolio Standard thus meeting the goal of obtaining energy from renewable resource.

Implementing WTE for the City of Milwaukee would reduce the release of 12,477 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG emission into the atmosphere each year when compared to landfilling. Also, energy analysis shows that WTE can reduce the energy usage by 726,936 million Btu each year which is equivalent of eliminating 10,645 passenger cars, 125,334 barrels of oil and 5,812,170 gallons of gasoline.

WTE has a potential to recover energy resources in residual MSW. Therefore a WTE plant for the City of Milwaukee can supply power 365-days-a-year; 24-hours a day hence promoting energy diversity, while helping the city meet the challenge of trash disposal. The tipping fee for the City of Milwaukee of $30/ton is cheap when compared to WTE at $56/ton. However, it is important to compare waste management to current mining operations; particularly for metals, the energy savings from using recycled metals is so high. WTE can be centrally located for the City of Milwaukee which will lower the dollars spent on transportation. By defining WTE power as a renewable fuel, Wisconsin can promote both conservation of non-renewable fossil fuels and environmental quality of air and water resources. WTE facility can be a steady, viable, and environmentally sound method to dispose of trash.

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