Plasma Technology Produces Energy from Waste

Municipal solid waste is a significant environmental issue in the United States. Organic waste fills our landfills and hazardous materials are expensive to dispose of properly. A portion of our waste is incinerated to produce energy, but toxic emissions and life-cycle energy concerns make this practice less than ideal. Some new technologies, however, represent a way to reuse our refuse by safely turning it into energy and other useful bi-products.

The Plasma Enhance Melter (PEM) System, developed by InEnTec, uses plasma to heat waste to very high temperatures, which breaks down organic materials. The process creates hydrogen-rich synthetic gas, which can be used directly to produce fuel or energy. The hydrogen could also be used in fuel cells. PEM can process many types of waste, including hazardous waste, and traps remaining material in non-toxic glass.

Another technology, developed by Coskata Inc., uses plasma gasification to turn organic material into syngas, then converts the syngas into ethanol using microbes. The process can be used with a variety of materials and represents a more cost-effective way to produce cellulosic ethanol.

You can read more about these technologies here.