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Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) as a Cellulosic Feedstock:
Opportunities and Challenges
David BransbyProfessor, Energy Crops and Bioenergy
Auburn [email protected]
ABFC, New Orleans, June 10, 2015
MSW Is the lowest hanging fruit and the most overlooked opportunity in the field of
cellulosic feedstocks
MSW is the Ultra-low hanging Fruit!
MSW not even mentioned
MSW not even mentioned
Three most important traits for the ideal cellulosic feedstock?
1) COST!2) COST!3) COST!
Three most important criteria for the ideal cellulosic feedstock?
1) Cost2) Availability3) Composition/quality
1) CostAssume technology can yield 70 gallons of biofuel/dry ton of biomass, and wholesale price is $2.00/gal:
Feedstock cost
/dry ton
Feedstock cost /gallon
% of Wholesale
Price
$0 $0.00 0
$25 $0.36 18%
$50 $0.71 36%
$75 $1.o7 54%
$100 $1.43 71%
Tipping FeesRange from $20 to over $100/tonDepending on processing cost and business
arrangement with MSW processor (licensing or purchasing processed material), cost of feedstock could be zero or negative
CleanTech Biofuels (www.cleantechbiofuels.net) in St. Louis, MO, uses autoclave technology to separate and sterilize MSW for ~$35/ton
The technology has been in commercial operation in Australia for 6 years
Therefore, risk is virtually zero
CleanTech Biofuels’ Solution
Biomass OutGarbage InAutoclave Steam & Low Pressure
MSW Processing Cellulosic Fraction
PlasticsMetals
No Odor!Odor
$$$ Metals Plastics $$$
CleanTech Biofuels Autoclave TechnologyCommercial Plant, Coffs Harbour, Australia
CleanTech Biofuels Autoclave TechnologyCommercial Plant, Coffs Harbour, Australia
CleanTech Biofuels Autoclave TechnologyCommercial Plant, Coffs Harbour, Australia
CleanTech Biofuels Autoclave TechnologyCommercial Plant, Coffs Harbour, Australia
CleanTech Biofuels Autoclave TechnologyCommercial Plant, Coffs Harbour, Australia
Tipping FeesAcquiring the tipping fee can be a
challenge, but is critical to ensure economic viability
Tipping fees are currently being paid to entities, including large companies, that are making profits from the landfill paradigm
However, opportunities to obtain tipping fees do exist
Impact of Cost
Feedstock cost/dry ton
Feedstock cost
/gallon
% of Wholesale
Price
MSW: $0.oo $0.00 0%
Crop Residues: $30?
$0.43 22%
Wood: $60 $0.86 43%
Energy crops: $75+
$1.o7+ 54+%
Assume technology can yield 70 gallons of biofuel/dry ton of biomass, and wholesale price is $2.00/gal:
Availability of MSW
What does availability mean?What’s out there is irrelevantYear-round, site specific availability in needed quantities is what’s important
Nothing beats MSW!
Availability of MSWThere are hundreds of landfills that
receive over 1,000 tons of MSW daily
This amounts to 500+ tons/day of cellulosic feedstock
Adequate for most commercial size processing facilities
Availability of MSWIt’s in close proximity to most urban areas
Collection systems are already in place
It is generated constantly, so storage is not necessary
Particular Opportunity for Florida
The Okeechobee Landfill is the fifth largest landfill in the United States,receiving over 7,000 tons of garbage per day, and 2.6 million tons per year
Composition of MSWAbout 50% cellulosicGood for both biological and
thermochemical conversion processes
Low lignin, so high conversion rates for biological processes
Contaminants can be removed by autoclave technology
Composition of MSWPaper 33.9%Yard trimmings 12.9%Food scraps 12.4%Plastics 11.8%Metals 7.6%Rubber, textiles 7.3%Wood 5.5%Glass 5.3%Other 3.3%
SummaryMSW is the best near and long term
opportunity – ultra-low hanging fruitCleanTech Biofuels (
www.cleantechbiofuels.net) has commercially proven technology for separating and sterilizing MSW
Collection infrastructure already in place
SummaryNo land use or food vs fuel issues involvedLow lignin, so good for biological
conversion processesEconomical with no government subsidiesUse for energy reduces environmental
problems related to landfills and incineration
MSW is the Ultra-low Hanging Fruit!
