Energy from Waste 2

Make fuel grade ethanol from the cellulose fraction of MSW. See or for more information.

Many are proposing gasification, but the economics just aren't there. The usual plan it to consume the synthetic gas to make electricity. WHEN one has the MSW to make the electricity. Electricity cannot be stored. Ethanol can be.

The benefits of making fuel grade ethanol from MSW is the ethanol can be made whenever the MSW is available and stored until needed. A ton of MSW yields about 50 gallons of ethanol. Currently almost all of the USA's ethanol is made from corn grown in the midwest. Cities on the coasts have to ship corn ethanol from the midwest ethanol plants. If ethanol came from MSW, the large cities would not have to ship their MSW long distances away, nor pay to ship corn ethanol in. The ethanol feedstock is available everywhere!

Average Rack Prices for ethanol in Kansas was $1.72/gallon on friday. This is more than the retail price of gasoline.

The New York Times on Tuesday December 2, 2003 reports that the City of New York spends $257/ton to dispose of its MSW. Why not make ethanol?

mgw11,
Have a plasma process that would like to talk to you about. Very enviromentaly friendly. Where would this plant be located? Also diffrent ways of funding it and revenue generated by selling of power and tipping fees.