Latest Waste to Energy News Aug'21

Latest Waste to Energy News from India and around the World:

1. Biofuel from Kelp Harvesting: By using existing fish processing plants, Alaska’s kelp harvest and fish waste could be transformed into a diesel-like fuel that is carbon neutral. The waste-to-energy fuel could then be used to power generators or fishing boats.
2. Croatia: Irish gasification technology and engineering company EQTEC said on Wednesday it has completed the acquisition of a 1.2 MWe waste-to-energy gasification plant in Belisce, eastern Croatia.
3. Co-processing of residual wastes in Cement Plant: Co-processing, which is a sustainable way of processing wastes, specifically single-use plastics, using a cement kiln.
4. Loan scheme for waste to energy biomethanation: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India in association with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), launched a loan interest subvention scheme to provide financial assistance to innovative waste to energy biomethanation projects and business models.
5. Solar to treat sewage: In partnership with a wastewater utility, this project by Solar Dynamics, will conduct pilot-scale testing and demonstration of solar process heat instead of natural gas to dry municipal sewage sludge and convert the dried granules into a high-value commercial fertilizer.
6. Wet Garbage to Briquettes: The Pune Municipal corporation (PMC) has started a pilot project where a biogas will be used to process wet garbage and turn into briquettes (a biomass product with multiple uses) as a final product.
7. Biomethanation in India: Biomethanation is a European technology where the industrial waste can be treated without impacting the environment. Also biogas from such industries could be used as an alternative source of energy within the factory, saving huge electricity bills. The cost of setting up biomethanation plant starts from Rs. one lakh to Rs. 10 crore depending on the capacity. The MNRE is giving a subsidy of Rs. 1-4 crores for the project cost that goes up to Rs. 10 crores.
8. Biomass power in India: India has already achieved the 10 GW target of biomass power with the present installed capacity of biomass power at 10.17 GW compared to 4.4 GW in 2015. According to a study sponsored by the MNRE, biomass availability in India could translate to a potential of about 28 GW. In addition, about 14 GW additional power could be generated through bagasse-based cogeneration in the country’s 550 sugar mills. However, India has not scaled its ambition in the biomass sector.
9. Citizens object to waste to energy plant: Waste-to-energy plant at Bandhwari landfill site off Gurugram-Faridabad Road was wildlife rich zone and was in the eco-sensitive Aravali belt which sustains life in the National Capital Region. Citizens of Gurugram are strongly opposing any project for waste-to-energy (WtE) plant in and around Gurugram.
10. Waste to Energy Issues in India: Waste segregation is key. Yet due to high expenses, this is not practised as thoroughly in India as it is in western countries, resulting in the generation of huge piles of mixed waste.
11. South Korea: Korean buyout firm VIG Partners has acquired a controlling stake in BioEnergyFarmAsan, the largest private waste-to-energy facility operation in South Korea, for over $100 million.