June 21st 2013

New Opportunities for Organics

Recycling

Disclaimer

In 2012, Fiberight commissioned a “first of its kind”

integrated plant running on 100% MSW input.

Fiberight uses a biochemical approach for the

conversion of organic wastes to biofuels and

biogas, therefore please excuse any shameless

bias exhibited by the presenter.

Agenda

• New Options for organics processing

• Considerations

• Anaerobic Digestion

• Hydrolysis

• Conclusions

Considerations

• Collection Philosophy?;

• Mixed Waste – Centralized processing

• Source Segregated – Discrete processing

• Results Desired?;

• Increase in waste recovery/recycling

• Cost reduction

• Supporting environmental policy

• Contract Philosophy?;

• Owned or contracted out

• Length of contract considered

• Fixed or collared contract

• Financial Incentives?

Considerations

Anaerobic Digestion

A/D Considerations

1

10

100

1000

10000

100000

1000000

10000000

100000000

UnitedStates

Germany

China-Farms

Nepal-Domesc

India-Domesc

China-Domesc

176

6,800

30,000200,000

5,000,000

40,000,000

Over 45M Worldwide

Anaerobic Pathways

Long Residence Time

High Rate Reaction

• High or low solids

• Wet or Dry

• Mesophilic or Thermophilic

• Use of digester gas;

Power, CHP or CNG

• Outlets for digestate;

Year round markets for compost or soil amendment?

A/D Considerations

Types of Anaerobic Reactors

Low-rate anaerobic reactors High-rate anaerobic reactors

Anaerobic pond

Septic tank

Standard rate anaerobic digester

Imhoff tank

Slurry type bioreactor, temperature, mixing,

SRT or other environmental

conditions are not regulated.

Loading of 1-2 kg COD/m3-day

Anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR)

Anaerobic contact process

Anaerobic filter (AF)

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)

Fluidized bed reactor

Hybrid reactor: UASB/AF

Able to retain very high concentration of

active biomass in the reactor. Thus

extremely high SRT could be maintained

irrespective of HRT. Load 5-20 kg COD/m3-d

COD removal efficiency : 80-90%

Typical High Solids food waste A/D

Influent Effluent

Waste sludge

Recycled sludge

Completely mixed reactor

Biogas

Degassifier

Biogas

Settling tank

Typical Low Solids food waste A/D

Feeding

Tank

Biogas

Effluent

Peristaltic pump

Media

Perforated

Al plate Sampling port

Heater

Constant temperature recirculation line

Water bath

Peristaltic pump

Sludge wastage

“Dry” food waste A/D

Courtesy; Zero waste Energy Inc.

Challenges

Lack of information:

• Initial capital investment

• Predicting biogas production, microbial process is sensitive

• Expected lifetime of system, especially generator, pumps

• Operating costs including gas clean-up

Economics

• Low economic return – High capex

• Low electricity price and generator malfunction

• Competing against shale gas

• Cost of separate collection for food waste

Sophistication of equipment

• Time devoted to managing intensive systems - Thermophilic

Benefits

Energy Generation:

• Produces high quality gas

• Opportunity to use as transportation fuel with RIN benefit

• Electricity generation qualifies as renewable in most markets

• Digestate creates high quality compost (if plastics removed)

Environmental

• Significant odor reduction vs. composting

• 90% + Pathogen destruction

• Significant GHG reduction versus landfill (when converted)

• Qualifies as a recycling solution

Mixed Waste Hydrolysis

Process

Process

Organic

Pulp Sugar

Concentration

& Refining

Module

Rapid rate

Digester & Gas

Compression

Bio-Plastics

Bio-Diesel

Alcohols

Bio-Chemicals

CNG

Core Intellectual Property

Dirty MRF Front-End

Organics Rendering

Biomass pulp screening

Separation of low/high solids

Upflow A/D plant

Fiberight’s proprietary

processes recover over

90% of COD, via

anaerobic digestion, in

less than 12 hours

Hydrolysis of high solids

Resulting recyclables

Plastic Films

Metals

Challenges

Lack of information:

• True waste composition?

• Expected lifetime of systems – High wear

Economics

• High capex – 2.5X Anaerobic Digestion

Sophistication of equipment

• Operational complexity that comes with running a dirty MRF

• Complex chemical plant environment with high level of automation required for fuels production

Benefits

Energy Generation – All the benefits of A/D plus;

• Produces high value liquid transportation fuel

• Opportunity to use all outputs with RIN benefit

• Higher reduction of solids reduces dependency on markets for compost

• Potential for “energy island” within plant

Environmental – All the benefits of A/D plus;

• Recovery of <75% from mixed waste

• Greater GHG reduction

Benefits

Economics;

• Investible returns

• Multiple revenue streams

• Single collection – Potentially including recycling routes

• Enables low-cost Dirty MRF network

Technical;

• Enables high-rate A/D

• High level of industrial process control allows for optimal digester performance and thermophilic conditions

• Process flexibility

Conclusions

Conclusions

• Risk; Is being reduced by international demonstration that

digestion is a robust and viable solution for organic waste

recovery and processing.

• Economics; Stakeholders should consider the economic

impacts of advanced organics processing options when

setting up food waste diversion programs, separate

collection may not be necessary.

• Planning; 10 year solid waste plans should include organics

processing as a waste management opportunity, many

municipalities are now doing so.

Craig Stuart-Paul – CEO

With Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lansing, University of MD craigsp@fiberight.com

Turning trash into finished biofuel…a disruptive and

transformational clean technology