Is energy from waste a type of renewable energy?

Introduction

The industrial revolution brought the world into a new age, with new and increasingly complex manufacturing processes which produce by-products of wastes and / or contaminants. These by-products started the process of fouling the land, water and air which all living organisms depend upon for survival. In addition, the resources that are required for the basics of life are rapidly being eroded away. Many resources that are necessary for the survival of the millions of species on this planet, including humans, are falling into short supply. Both renewable and nonrenewable resources are facing the same fate. For example, firewood is used as a source of fuel worldwide, but is in short supply. People are having to search for miles each day in order to gather a tiny ration of wood that will get them through the day. In the meantime, dried cow dung is being used to satisfy the short-term demand for fuel. Oil, silver, and coal, to mention a few, are nonrenewable resources that are also limited in supply. Once the finite supply is depleted, they cannot be regenerated. Rampant deforestation will inevitably destroy many of the habitats for plants, microorganisms, and invertebrates. With this, different governments around the globe are developing actions concerning environmental problems. For instance, the United States of America seriously considered environmental hazards as traditional military threats. Whereas the military forces of the government are helping the victims of environmental disasters (Baldwin & Falk 2006). Aside from this, there are some global treaties like the Kyoto Protocol of United Nations which main objective was to reconstruct the greenhouse national gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would avoid dangerous anthropogenic intervention with the climate system that causes environmental disasters such as typhoons and hurricane (Olson, 2005). In some developing countries in Asia, actions concerning environmental securities are also creating significant impact to the inhabitants. In the Philippines for example, heightened the environmental security as Typhoon Ketsana (local name Ondoy) obliterated the major cities and provinces (Ubalde, 2009). Hundreds of people died forcing Philippine government to placed 25 provinces and Metro Manila under state of calamity (Ubalde, 2009). People and governments around the globe knew the significant effect of environmental threats resulting to heightened environmental security. In line with the hazards and no-so-good effects brought by the environmental changes, different organizations around the globe are doing efforts not only to save the environment but also to conserve the energy used by people. One of the efforts was the transformations of waste materials as energy.

Discussions

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Discussions

Yes, the energy from waste is also a type of renewable energy but there are still required efforts to make these waste a good source of renewable energy. Basically, the massive increase in the quantum and diversity of waste materials produced by various human action and their potentially destructive effects on the general environment and public health, have led to an rising consciousness about an imperative need to implement scientific methods for safe discarding of wastes. Considering that there is an obvious need to reduce the productions of wastes and to reuse and recycle them, the technologies for revitalization of energy from wastes can play an essential role in extenuating the problems. Aside from the recovery of the needed energy, there are technologies created that are helpful in the reduction of large waste quantities produced by man. Aside from the reduction of waste materials, the said technologies were also helpful in managing safe disposal of waste that meets the pollution control standards. Actually, Zafar, (2008) identified that there are three main trails for alteration of organic waste material to energy – biochemical, thermochemical, and physicochemical.

Biochemical Conversion

The known bio-chemical conversion procedure includes the anaerobic digestion and fermentation. These are suitable for wastes having with high percentage of organic recyclable matter and high humidity substance. Anaerobic digestion is a dependable technology for handling wet organic waste. Actually, organic materials and waste from different sources is composted in extremely controlled, oxygen-free environment resulting in the biogas production that can be use in the production of electricity and heat. Anaerobic digestion also fallout in dry remains called digestate which can be used as a soil conditioner (Zafar, 2008, p.1).

Thermochemical Conversion

Combustion of waste has been used for many years as a way of reducing waste volume and neutralizing many of the potentially harmful elements within it. Combustion can only be used to create an energy source when heat recovery is included. Heat recovered from the combustion process can then be used to either power turbines for electricity generation or to provide direct space and water heating. Some waste streams are also suitable for fueling a combined heat and power system, although quality and reliability of supply are important factors to consider (Zafar, 2008, p.1).

Physico-chemical Conversion

The physico-chemical technology involves various processes to improve physical and chemical properties of solid waste. The combustible fraction of the waste is converted into high-energy fuel pellets which may be used in steam generation. Fuel pellets have several distinct advantages over coal and wood because it is cleaner, free from incombustibles, has lower ash and moisture contents, is of uniform size, cost-effective, and eco-friendly (Zafar, 2008, p.1).

With this, the Hong Kong government has long been aware of the importance of standards and policies concerning waste to energy efforts and other organizations in order to protect the environment (Yeung, 1996). Basically, there were also standards used to promote avoidance of environmental degradation. Actually, in building and business practices, there were standards in Hong Kong that serve as guidance on what processes and materials are allowed to be used in construction of buildings and business practices, the processes on acquiring materials, the location, and the structure and facilities required that will not endanger the environment (White, P1997). Governments also implement punishments on organization that will not abide by the standards. Most organizations in Hong Kong have also set up their own policies for reasons such as becoming concern with the environment, for improved image with customers, and due to the realization that some if not all of the environmental technologies can be able the company to reduce cost (Yang, & Furedy, 1997).

With regards to the issue of waste to energy efforts, the current methods and technologies available in making waste materials as renewable source of energy was driven by the awareness that nature have certain ecological capacity, that there will come a time that will be exceeded due to the increasing demands for it (Chung & Poon, 1998). With the concern and the idea of the challenge to technological development in which how to continue developing and producing when nature no longer has the enough raw materials needed, the waste to energy efforts was heightened. According to Chung & Poon, (1994), the use of environmental technology in industry and society has to be changed so that overall production and consumption is within eco-capacity of the world. That is, industry and society should find ways to effectively use the natural resources through environmental protection, environmental technology and sustainable technology.

Environmental protection is addressing the short-term needs and emphasizes the “organization for environmental quality of processes and products” (White, 1997). Environmental protection may involve reformation of current production systems that can help protect the environment, or regular environmental auditing. Environmental technology as discussed above involves the improvement and application of existing technologies for better utilization of the environmental capacity (Jansen, 1994). And sustainable technology (Jansen, 1994), is concern in finding new technological combinations and concepts by which environmental efficiency can be realized.

Having a certain degree of association with the environment, engineering came up with another discipline, the environmental engineering and creation of technologies that would transfer waste materials to another source of renewable energy, focusing not on only on the design, development and creation of products but with the creation of technology that will help achieve sustainable development.

Conclusion

Compared to the efforts done by the United States, waste-to-energy has succeeded in Europe and Asia as the most excellent way of waste disposal (Paterson, 2001). Mentioning waste-to-energy for its capability to reduce the quantity of waste in an environmentally-friendly manner, produce important energy, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Actually, the European nations rely on waste-to-energy as the favored technique in waste disposal. As seen, the European Union has released a lawfully binding condition for its member States to constraint the landfilling of eco-friendly waste.

From the announcement of the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP), Europe presently cures 50 million ton of wastes at waste-to-energy plants annually, producing an energy amount that can deliver electricity for 27 million people. Future changes to EU legislation will have a extend force on how much further the technology will help attain ecological safeguard goals.

References:

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Chung, S. S. and Poon, C. S., (1994), Waste recycling policy in Hong Kong, Waste Management & Research, Vol. 12, pp.21-32, Academic Press, New York, London

Chung, S. S. and Poon, C. S., (1998), Recovery systems in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 23, pp. 29-45

Jansen L. (1994), Towards a sustainable future, en route with technology! In Dutch Committee for Long-Term Environmental Policy (Ed.): The Environment: Towards a Sustainable Future", Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

Olson, E. (2005), ‘The Environmental Effects of Hurricane Katrina’, submitted in writing to hearings before the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the US Senate, Natural Resources Defense Council, Retrieved October 05, 2010 from <www.nrdc.org>.

Paterson, M. (2001). Understanding Global Environmental Politics London: Macmillan 2000; Dimitris Stevis and Valerie Assetto (eds) The International Political Economy of the Environment Boulder: Lynne Rienner.

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Yang, S. and Furedy, C., (1997), Recovery of wastes for recycling in Beijing, Environmental Conservation, vol. 20, no.1, pp.79-82, Cambridge University Press

Yeung, K. H., (1996), Solid Waste Management and Material Recycling: A Comparison of Hong Kong and Taiwan, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Zafar, S. (2008). Waste as a Renewable Energy Source. Alternative Energy. Retrieved October 05, 2010 from