Alliance Federated Energy

• Technology Overview
• What is Plasma Gasification?
• Why Plasma Gasification?
  • - Environmental Benefits
  • - Environmental FAQ
• Technology FAQ

Environmental FAQ

Find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about plasma gasification technology and its impact on the environment.

What advantages does plasma gasification of waste have over traditional landfilling?
Plasma gasification does not leave vast garbage piles for future generations: Waste is converted to a clean syngas, slag and a small amount of residual waste product. Solids produced are recovered metals and marketable slag material that is inert. Landfills emit large quantities of methane gas, which contribute significantly more carbon dioxide to global warming. Plasma gasification is truly a renewable energy technology.

Is plasma gasification different than traditional incineration?
Yes. Unlike incineration, plasma gasification produces no potentially hazardous bottom ash and minimal quantities of fly ash or particulate matter, which needs to be landfilled or placed in special facilities with engineered retaining walls. Plasma gasification of MSW to generate electricity produces substantially less carbon dioxide and other emissions per megawatt-hour of electricity produced than traditional mass-burn incineration, and is cleaner, higher in energy conversion, and better for the environment. Lastly, up to 50% more electricity can be produced per ton with gasification as compared with incineration.

How much pollution is emitted in the process?
Because no two plants are identical in their set-up and the waste they process, statistics will vary. A plasma gasification facility will have very low emissions of NOx, SOx, dioxins and furans."

How does plasma gasification compare with mass-burn incineration?

• Environmentally superior
• Produces slag versus ash (reusable byproduct)
• Emissions are substantially lower
• Flexibility – can adapt to changing feedstocks, including coal ash, sludge, contaminated soil, hazardous waste, etc.
• Syngas production has more options for end-use – power production, steam production, ethanol and other liquid fuels

Is the slag produced environmentally benign?
Shimadzu Techno Research, Inc, Japan conducted tests on the slag produced at the Mihama-Mikata plasma gasification facility in Japan, and concluded that the slag is inert and does not contaminate soil or drinking water. The test used to detect soil contamination, the JLT-46 test, found that the slag sample was below the method detection limit for Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium VI, Lead, Mercury, and Selenium.

These tests may be viewed online at: http://www.alternrg.com/plasma_technology/independent_engineering

If plasma gasification provides renewable, environmentally sound energy, is it a recycling alternative?
Plasma gasification of waste does not harm efforts that promote recycling, and can work effectively in concert with recycling, filling the niche that is currently being filled by incineration and landfilling. At AFE, we believe that plasma gasification compliments existing programs to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.