26 May 2011 UK Based waste to energy specialist, Advanced Plasma Power (APP), and Group Machiels, the global waste management firm, are to enter an enhanced landfill mining joint venture.
According to APP, the project, which will involve an investment of hundreds of millions of Euros will be the first of its kind.
Mining of existing landfills is a good example of closing the material's loop.
The Closing the Circle enhanced landfill mining concept has been developed by Group Machiels in collaboration with a consortium of academic partners (KULeuven, VITO, UHasselt), to extract the maximum value from historic waste streams as materials and energy, as well as CO2 sequestration or offsetting.
The Closing the Circle concept is being implemented at the landfill site of Remo Milieubeheer NV in Houthalen-Hechteren, Belgium, a subsidiary of Group Machiels. More than 16 million tonnes of waste is stored at that landfill site.
The type, amount and location of the waste stored is well documented, allowing its effective and efficient mining. Around 45% of the stored waste can be recycled as material. The recycling residue can be processed through APP's patented Gasplasma technology.
The joint venture says that it aims to construct an energy plant using up to five Gasplasma units, with a net electrical output of between 75 MW and 100 MW - equivalent to the energy required to power 100,000 homes. The energy produced by the Gasplasma units will be fed into the national electricity grid in Flanders.
The joint venture is the first deal of this scale for the Gasplasma process. This partners claim that it combines two existing and proven technologies to produce a highly efficient waste to energy process, meeting all European emissions requirements with virtually no residual wastes.
The Process The Gasplasma process is a gasification and plasma conversion technology that converts the waste stream into a clean, hydrogen-rich syngas and a vitrified recyclate product called Plasmarok that can be used as a building material or replacement aggregate. According to APP, the process destroys harmful gases leaving the high quality syngas to be used to generate energy.
The Closing the Circle project will see the Remo landfill site that has been in use since the 1970s returned to its original state, with green spaces to be enjoyed by the community.
Simon Merriweather, Chief Executive of Advanced Plasma Power said, "This is a landmark project for Europe. We are working with Group Machiels in a joint venture that makes best use of our Gasplasma technology because we are able to provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly waste to energy solution."
Louis Machiels, Chairman of Group Machiels commented, "This joint venture is an important step in the realisation of a ground braking project. It is part of our Closing the Circle philosophy that wants to contribute significantly both to a cradle to cradle approach of the use of materials and the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere."
APP says that this is the first of a number of initiatives that it is undertaking over the coming months that will encompass waste to energy projects in the UK and Europe.
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