Sustainable Use of Biomass from Municipal Solid Waste. California Biomass Collaborative May 13, 2009

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1 Sustainable Use of Biomass from Municipal Solid Waste California Biomass Collaborative May 13, 2009 Howard Levenson, Ph.D. Director, Sustainability Program California Integrated Waste Management Board

2 Biomass Resources in California Gross resources 80 million bone dry tons annually Main resources: ag, forestry, solid waste Forestry in northern and central mountains Agriculture in Central Valley Waste in Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area Source: California Biomass Collaborative

3 Disposal Vs Diversion

4 Waste Stream Characterization 40 Million tons disposed 70% Carbon based organics 30% compostable organics 20% paper 15% food Film Plastic 4% Other C&D 12% Textiles 5% Other Mixed and Mineralized 8% Metal 8% All non-film Plastic 5% Prunings, trimmings, branches and stumps 3% Glass 2% Leaves and Grass 4% Other Organics 4% Paper/Cardboard 20% Food 15% C&D Lumber 10% Fraction of waste stream (%) Biomass 56 Plastics/ 14 textiles Inorganic 30 Total 100

5 CIWMB Organics Roadmap Strategic directive: 50% reduction of organics in waste stream by 2020 Need additional capacity to process 15 million tons per year Plus capacity for ~3 million tons per year may be needed depending on ADC policy

6 Major Challenges Infrastructure Siting Statutory and Regulatory Funding/Incentives 6

7 Siting and Capacity Issues Siting facilities difficult No requirement in Siting Elements for processing capacity information NIMBY by local groups No direct CIWMB involvement at local level

8 Statutory and Regulatory Issues Statutory definitions re: gasification and transformation Inconsistencies and/or contradictory goals across regulatory agencies, inability to consider tradeoffs CIWMB regulations full permit for accepting food waste Anaerobic digestion 8

9 Cross Agency/Media Issues Air Quality Regulations South Coast AQMD San Joaquin Valley APCD Mojave Desert AQMD Bay Area AQMD Water Quality Regulations San Diego RWQCB Conditional Waiver Draft General Order under development that can be used as statewide WDR template 9

10 Why Worry About Composting Emissions? Composting emits some VOCs Some VOCs react with NOx and sunlight to create ground level ozone Criteria pollutant under federal Clean Air Act due to human health impacts Local air districts must reduce criteria pollutants 10

11 Modesto Study Conclusions 70-80% of VOCs emitted during first 2 weeks % of VOC emissions vent through ridgetop 15% food waste roughly doubled VOC emissions compared to greenwaste Pseudo-biofilter compost cap reduced VOC emissions up to 75% for first two weeks. 11

12 Water Quality Regulations Salinity concerns Proposals by regional Water Boards to regulate composting under different regional waivers Or in some cases might have to meet landfill level permitting requirements under Title 27 Draft General Order being developed by SWRCB that can be used as statewide template 12

13 CIWMB Efforts re: Water Quality Working with SWRCB staff on statewide waiver Compost Best Management Practices Caltrans Compost Specifications Demo project on erosion control on fire ravaged lands 13

14 Funding/Incentives Landfilling and ADC less expensive alternative to composting, AD, etc. Material handling costs much higher for composters than for landfills Composters can t charge much more than landfills or risk losing materials Lack of financing for expanding capacity Increased regulatory/permitting costs

15 Current Composting/Biomass Infrastructure Composting and Chip & Grind Facilities Approx. 200 facilities produce an estimated 5 million cubic yards of compost and mulch per year Biomass Facilities About 5 million bone dry tons of biomass annually 15

16 Benefits of Compost Use Outlet for farming and food processing by products Displaces agburning Reduces water use and pumping Improves soil tilth, biology Foundation of organic ag production Supplants use of synthetic N fertilizers and pesticides with high embodied energy 16

17 Compost & Climate Change AB 32: reduce GHG 25% by 2020; plan adopted December 2008 GHG emissions from organic materials management Landfill methane capture Composting can reduce methane emissions from landfills and N20 emissions from ag Anaerobic digestion 17

18 Conversion Technologies Non combustion technologies that can use post recycled and/or post consumer solid waste for production of alternative fuesl, energy, and industrial chemicals Gasification Pyrolysis Anaerobic digestion Fermentation 18

19 CT Major Categories Biochemical Processes Anaerobic Digestion Bacteria breaks down feedstock No oxygen Fermentation Also anaerobic process Microbes used to produce ethanol Technology Primary Product Secondary Product Residue Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Heat, Electricity, Fuels, Soil Amendment Lignin, inorganics Fermentation Ethanol Lignin, inorganics

20 Operating Facilities Biochemical Predominantly anaerobic digestion in Europe Installed capacity in 2000 = 1.1 million TPY Installed capacity in 2004 = 2.8 million TPY 250% increase Thermal Gasification and Incineration in Japan

21 Annual Net Energy Consumption L.A Basin 4,000,000 0 Million BTU -4,000,000-8,000,000-12,000, ,000,000-20,000,000 Landfill - V Landfill - F Landfill - ER WTE CT

22 3,000,000 2,000,000 1,000, ,000,000-2,000,000 Annual Net NOx Emissions L.A Basin Pounds of NOx Landfill - V Landfill - F Landfill - ER WTE CT

23 Emissions Results - NOx Nitrogen Oxides Emissions 500 NOx Emissions (mg/n-m3 at 7% O2) IES (MSW residual) 10 BRI Energy (MSW residual) SCAQMD MSW Incinerator Permit Limits German Limits (thermal MSW conversion) US EPA Limits (starved air combusters) IET circuit board, genset IET medical waste, genset

24 Emission Results Lead Lead Emissions 0.75 Pb Emissions (mg/n-m3 at 7% O2) German Limits (thermal MSW conversion) SCAQMD MSW Incinerator Permit Limits US EPA Limits (starved air combusters) IES (MSW residual) BRI Energy (MSW residual) IET circuit board, genset IET medical waste, genset

25 Emissions Results Dioxins/Furans Dioxin/Furan Emissions Dioxin/Furan Emissions (ng-teq/n-m3 at 7% O2) IES (MSW residual) BRI Energy (MSW residual) US EPA Limits (starved air combusters) German Limits (thermal MSW conversion) IET circuit board, genset IET medical waste, genset

26 What Are Issues With CTs? Concerns about technologies Incinerators in disguise? CTs will harm existing recycling infrastructure or are less efficient than recycling Permitting Issues Solid waste facilities vs. manufacturing facilities Cost NIMBY

27 Waste Distribution (Mass/Energy) 10 Annual Disposal (left axis) Potential Primary Energy (right axis) 0.15 Fraction of Total (%) Annual Disposal (million tons / y) Potential Primary Energy (Quads) 67 million barrels of crude oil annually MW Electricity 0 Paper/Cardboard Food C&D Lumber All non-film Plastic Textiles Other Organics Film Plastic Leaves and Grass Branches,stumps,trim Source: Rob Williams, California Biomass Collaborative

28 Renewable Portfolio Standard % renewable energy by % renewable energy by 2010 Governor Executive Order 33% by % renewable energy 2007 Governor Executive Order S 06 06

29 Executive Order S Increase production and use of bioenergy, and biofuels from renewable resources In state Production 20 percent percent percent percent renewable electricity from biomass

30 In State Renewable Generation 2008 Source: California Energy Commission

31 Low Carbon Fuel Standard Executive Order S LCFS as Early Action Measure for AB 32 Reduce fuel carbon intensity 10% by 2020 Two pathways relative to organics Landfill gas to energy/fuel Anaerobic digestion

32 CEC AB 118 Transportation Fuels Investment Plan Co fund 20 ethanol feedstock and project feasibility studies for new plants ($3 million) Cost share 2 new pilot plants using waste feedstocks ($4 million) Cost share 5 production plants using waste feedstocks ($2 million) Co fund development of 5 biomethane production plants ($10 million)

33 AB 32 GHG Reduction Goals Increase Landfill Gas Capture Early Action Measure Commercial Recycling Anaerobic Digestion

34 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Loans/loan guarantees for renewable energy R&D Grants to LFG and WTE facilities Extends production tax credit for renewable energy production until 2014 Allows new 30% investment tax credit (in lieu of PTC) for renewable energy facilities Provides 50% first year and 5 year accelerated depreciation Increases allocations of clean renewable energy bonds Modifies tax credit for carbon dioxide sequestration Allows new tax credit for qualifying advanced renewables

35 Selected CIWMB Activities Lifecycle/Economic Analysis of Organics Biofuels from Post MRF Residuals Contract UCD Two Stage Anaerobic Digestion Project Low Carbon Fuel Standard Programmatic EIR Anaerobic Digestion L.A. CT projects AB 32 Measures VOC emissions studies (2) Infrastructure inventory and planning

36 Contact Information Howard Levenson (916)