Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Not a Black Box Technology Option

Transcription

1 Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Not a Black Box Technology Option Lori Scozzafava Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. Maryland Recycling Network Webinar April 24, 2017

2 Welcome, Introductions & A Little Admin Our Moderator: Peter Houstle - MRN Executive Director Our Presenter: Lori Scozzafava Vice-President, Operations Officer Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. Mark Your Calendars: Webinar - Recycling in Our Schools and Local Community Buildings: Are We Reaching the Next Generation? Thursday, May 18 Webinar - Markets Madness: Materials Stats, Trends and Analysis Thursday, June Annual Conference - Monday, June 12, 2017 Admin: Post questions in chat box on left hand side of screen Recording will be posted on MRN website Not a Member? Join Today to Support Recycling in Maryland! 2

3 GBB s Waste Consulting Services Over 35 years of helping government agencies improve their integrated solid waste systems by turning problems into opportunities 3

4 Many Public Officials Are Nervous about Anaerobic Digestion 4

5 Waste Technologies and Risk Alternative Risks/Liability Risk Summary Mass burn Proven commercial technology Very Low Aerobic Composting Proven commercial technology RDF/Fluid Bed Proven technology; limited U.S. commercial experience Moderate to Low Anaerobic Digestion Proven technology; limited U.S. commercial experience Moderate to Low Pyrolysis Gasification Very Low Previous failures at scale, uncertain commercial potential; no operating experience with large -scale operations High Limited operating experience at only small scale; subject to scale-up issues High 5

6 Main use has been in Wastewater Treatment and Animal Manure Avon, NY Waste Water Treatment with AD Four Winds Farms Animal Manure AD, Ulysses, PA 6

7 Agriculture, Biosolids & Food Scrap AD Facilities in US (American Biogas Council- April 2017) 7

8 Why are there so few AD facilities taking food waste? Total number: 38 (American Biogas Council- April 2017) 8

9 Because Agricultural and Human Manure is more Homogenous 9

10 And this is what Good food waste is like... Source: Getty Images 10

11 But it could also be this

12 Facilities and Market Leaders Privately financed, owned and operated Commercial food waste Organics from MSW Mixed with yard waste 12

13 Drivers High diversion or Zero waste goals Food waste disposal bans/mandates-vt, CT, CA, MA and RI Financial support for infrastructure development Availability of private financing 13

14 Anaerobic Digestion: A Biological Process Anaerobic Digestion Microbial decomposition of organic matter Oxygen depleted environment Methane, inorganic nutrients and non-digested organics 14

15 Not All AD Facilities Are Alike Solids Content Feedstock Introduction Continuous flow Plug flow Batch Generic Continuous Flow reactor Low Solids Pumpable material ( wet ) <15% Solids content High Solids 25-30%- pumpable ( wet ) >50%- stackable ( dry ) Zero Waste Energy Batch reactors Eisenmann Plug Flow Reactor 15

16 Feedstock PreProcessing Recyclables? Composting & AD are Compatible Anaerobic Digestion PostProcessing Digestate Composting (Aerobic) Methane Gas Cleaning Applications Soil Amendment/ Mulch Electricity/ RNG 16

17 Food Waste as a Feedstock Feedstock Requires Pre-Processing Equipment Can be an output from a Mixed Waste Processing Facility that can also recover recyclables Source separated organics is less contaminated 17

18 Pre-Processing Organics for AD PreProcessing Pre-Processing for Wet Digestion More Intensive to break down organic material, remove residue, and achieve the correct solids content (Processor Dependent) Pre-Processing for Dry Digestion Source Separated food waste needs yard waste mulch added to achieve stackability MSW needs equipment to separate from other materials but can then be processed directly 18

19 Pre-Processing of Feedstocks Source Separated (Dry AD) Source: GBB Visit to Zero Waste Monterey, CA PreProcessing Source Separated (Wet AD) Source: Kompogas 19

20 AD Process Gas Production Source: GBB Visit to ZeroWaste Monterey, CA Anaerobic Digestion Source: GBB Visit to Quasar Wooster, Ohio 20

21 Anaerobic Digestion AD Process Digestate Dry AD Source: GBB Visit to Zero Waste Monterey, CA Wet AD Source: Kompogas 21

22 Post-Processing of Digestate Wet Digestate PostProcessing Siyrce Requires dewatering and may need additional drying Source: GBB visit to Harvest Power facility, Orlando, FL Source: Van Dyk 22

23 Applications - Compost Applications Source Separated Organics Dry Digestate Screening (Separation by Size) Air Classification (Separation by Weight) Optical Units (NIR, XRay) Mobile Screen Source: GBB Visit to Zero Waste Monterey, CA 23

24 Applications Methane Gas IC Engine/Electricity and Heat Source: GBB Visit to Zero Waste Monterey, CA Applications Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Source: CleanEnergy 24

25 Applications Soil Amendment Applications MSW Sourced Organics Maturing Windrows Screened Final Product Source: GBB Visit to Zero Waste San Jose, CA 25

26 System Economics Tipping fees at operating plants: $40-$100/ton Cleaner the feedstock lower the tipping fee Capital expenses Different for different types of AD $300-$500 per installed annual ton of capacity Operating Expenses 2-3% of the Capital Expenses per ton processed 26

27 Revenue Sources Electricity/ biogas sale Digestate/ fertilizer sale Incentives RINs (fuel credits) RECs (carbon credits) Production Tax Credit (electricity) 27

28 Trends From private initiatives to bigger involvement of the public sector More world leading technology developers coming to the US Wastewater treatment plants interested in using excess AD capacity for food waste Part of complex solutions for mixed waste processing (MBT concept) 28

29 Market for Digestate/ Compost Gas Fuel or Electricity Public/Private Partnerships Funding & Tipping Fees 29

30 Questions and comments? Thank you! Lori Scozzafava: MRN 2017 Annual Conference - Monday, June 12,