The Alaska House Special Committee on Energy held a hearing on a resolution urging support for waste-to-energy. The resolution was introduced by Rep. Pete Petersen (D-Anchorage) who believes this technology can help communities across Alaska. Waste-to energy technology is already in use in Alaska at Eielson Air Force Base. This technology kills two birds with one stone, said Rep. Petersen. It lowers pressure on community landfills and it provides a cheap, reliable source of power. The committee held the resolution to get more input from the Parnell administration. Ted Michaels of the Energy Recovery Council testified at the hearing in support of the resolution.

Ted Michaels of the Energy Recovery Council testified this week in the Maryland legislature in support of a pair of bills that would move waste-to-energy from a Tier 2 renewable to a Tier 1 renewable in the state renewable portfolio standard. At hearings before the Senate Finance Committee and the House Economic Matters Committee, ERC fully supported the legislation and urged passage to ensure that there would be sufficient incentives in place to drive new development of waste-to-energy in Maryland. Also testifying in favor of the legislation were Robin Davidov of the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, Nickolas Themelis of Columbia University/WTERT, and Rick Brandes, formerly of the U.S. EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery. The Maryland Energy Administration also submitted testimony supporting the legislation. The Senate bill (SB 690) was passed unanimously in committee the day following the hearing.

The Economist has noted the growing interest in turning trash into electricity through the use of electric plasma torches in a recent article.  Stating that burying trash "is old-fashioned and polluting", the article looks at the technical ability and profitability of plasma-based technologies to manage municipal solid waste.  More than three dozen American firms are proposing plasma-torch syngas plants, according to Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, a waste consultancy based in Fairfax, Virginia (and ERC member).  While no plasma facilities currently operate in the United States, this article demonstrates the concentrated effort of many companies to make this technology work on a commercial scale.  In short, it shows that household trash is a valuable energy source and the business of making energy from waste has a bright future.

Waste management should be central to the government's green economy strategy as it offers massive commercial opportunities as well as significant environmental gains, according to a report published today by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The report, entitled 'Making Ends Meet: Maximising the value of waste', says increasing the adoption of waste to energy technologies would reduce carbon emissions and help bolster the UK's energy security, while also reducing the risk of breaching EU landfill targets. According to the report, around 2,000 new waste management facilities will need to be built by 2020 to replace the 300 landfill sites due to close over the next decade. However, it warns that the £10bn of private sector investment required to build new waste-to-energy plants and recycling facilities will not be forthcoming without clearer signals from government to investors. More certainty over planning, improved data on commercial and industrial waste levels, and an integrated local policy to help different councils deliver zero waste policies will be required to drive private investment, the report warns. The report can be downloaded here.

A newly proposed $650 million waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen, Denmark is taking facility design to new heights by incorporating a public rooftop ski slope into the design. Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has been selected as the winner of an international competition to replace the 40 year old industrial Amagerforbraending plant in Copenhagen. BIG has encouraged an active relationship between the new plant and the public by utilizing vacant roof space as a ski slope. The lift ride to the top of the stack will offer visitors a glimpse into the internal activities of the plant.  The ski slope is not the only interesting "new" feature focused on the stack.  Every time one ton of fossil CO2 is released, the smokestack will discharge a 30 meter smoke ring into the air as a gentle reminder of the impact of consumption and a measuring stick that will allow the common Copenhagener to grasp the CO2 emission in a straightforward way. After dark, heat tracking lights will continue to illuminate these smoke rings (which are depicted in the rendering to the right.