Waste2TricityFinsgate, 5-6, Cranwood Street,, United Kingdom

Established in 2008, Waste2Tricity is a structured solutions provider to the energy-from-waste (EfW) sector, an industry supplying increasing amounts of electricity using feedstocks diverted from landfill.

Waste2Tricity works with clients and partners to develop, fund and support EfW deployment projects that use proven technology, are profitable and progressive; projects that currently use proven plasma gasification and internal combustion engines/gas turbines (ICEs/GTs) to efficiently convert waste to energy.

The use of commercially proven plasma gasification means today's projects are efficiently future proofed, these facilities are adaptable to deploy Fuel Cell and so become both more efficient and Carbon Capture Ready; and as the hydrogen economy develops, wider deployment opportunities for a technology making hydrogen from waste will become commercially possible.

Waste2Tricity's commitment; to deliver commercial projects - future proofed - through a combination of technologies that are proven, profitable and progressive. A winning combination, already attracting key industry and equity partners.

Waste2Tricity is a structured solutions provider to the energy-from-waste (EfW) sector. The EfW sector generates low carbon electricity from waste.

From inception Waste2Tricity's vision has been clear; the company aims to profitably participate in the emergence of the ‘low carbon economy’ by reconciling commercial and conservation agendas. This is achieved by adopting the most efficient proven conversion technologies available today and future proofing projects by obtaining access to the technologies of tomorrow. A commitment to deliver today's technology - future proofed resonates with the EfW sector and helps position the company to collaborate with industry leaders to develop, support and invest in pioneering EfW deployment projects.

Waste2Tricity focuses on deployment projects which aim to adopt proven plasma gasification and proven internal combustion engines/gas turbines (ICEs/GTs) to generate energy-from-waste. Waste2Tricity considers this to be the most efficient and proven combination of conversion technologies currently available.

The company also advances development programmes to maximise profitability - by adopting the proven process of plasma gasification, projects can be future proofed. These facilities are Fuel Cell Ready and thus Carbon Capture Ready. They are perfectly positioned to utilise new-generation developmental technology as it becomes commercially available.

Waste2Tricity has selected AFC Energy's fuel cell system as having the greatest potential to be the most efficient, low cost technology for generating electrical power from gasified waste. Waste2Tricity is working with AFC through its Beta testing phase and has earmarked £1 million for investment in the AFC fuel cell. A significant down payment has been made and exclusive rights to multiple territories secured.

Waste2Tricity is currently working on two deployment projects and one development programme. The company is seeking equity financing to develop its consortium deployment programme.

Technology

Waste2Tricity advances EfW deployment projects that use the proven plasma gasification process to generate syngas (synthesis or energy gas) to power efficient and proven internal combustion engines (ICE) or gas turbines (GT) to generate electrical power.

Process diagram

Waste2Tricity's research shows this to be the most efficient, proven combination of conversion technologies currently available (a position supported by DECC in the recent Renewables Obligation Banding Review consultation - October 2011) and therefore both the most environmentally positive and commercial model.

Waste enters the plasma gasifier and is turned into syngas by the very high temperature in a controlled oxygen environment. The plasma gasification process has many advantages over incineration, fewer potentially pollutant gases and no tar, ash or fly ash are produced. The main by-product, vitrified slag, is inert and can be used as aggregate.

The syngas then passes through a cleaning and drying process before being fed into an internal combustion engine (ICE) powered generator or a gas turbine, with an average generation efficiency of about 35% for ICEs.

Low carbon energy from waste

• Existing landfill waste streams can be converted into a source of low carbon electricity. By reducing the volume of waste placed in landfill, future emission levels of greenhouse gases such as methane can be reduced.
• In contrast to incineration, the plasma gasification process lower volumes of pollutant gases, and no fly ash or waste ash. Harmful by-products such as dioxins are destroyed by the extremely high temperatures (+6000°C) and by the plasma process itself.
• Plasma gasification is potentially a more efficient form of low carbon electricity generation when compared to existing fossil fuel, most renewable or other waste-to-electricity models such as incineration.
• These facilities can be constructed on existing landfill sites, reducing the likelihood of opposition to their construction through the utilisation of existing infrastructure (e.g. roads built for waste transport).