Berkeley eyes turning its garbage into gold
By Tony Bartelme
The Post and Courier
A bulldozer at the Berkeley County Landfill levels off trash Monday as birds look for food.
Previous story
Biofuel facility in works, published 07/18/08
MONCKS CORNER — Berkeley County officials are drawing up an ambitious plan to turn the smelly gas and rotting garbage in the county's giant landfill off U.S. Highway 52 into power and money.
The project has many puzzle pieces, but if they fit together, officials said their plan could extend the life of the landfill for decades, reduce the dump's noxious odors, generate enough electricity to power homes in a small city and earn or save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Colin Martin, executive director of Berkeley County Water and Sanitation, said the goal is to take five different wastes — methane, sewage sludge, waste water, food and yard waste and wood debris — and turn them into power. All of this would happen at the landfill.
Other municipalities are converting one or two of these to power, but Martin said no one in the country has done so many in one place. "It just makes sense to do them all together," he said. "I believe when we're done, we'll be managing waste better than any county in South Carolina, and that we'll raise the bar nationally."
Monday night, County Council unanimously voted to take the first step toward this trash-to-cash vision and sign a memorandum of agreementwith Green Energy Partners, a company in Greenville that specializes in alternative energy systems. Green Energy Partners would help the county build and pay for the project and share in any profits.
Martin said it could cost up to $125 million, though that's a rough estimate. He said the county and Green Energy Partners are still hammering out a funding plan, and he hoped the proposed federal economic stimulus program might be one source of money.
Phase 1: Get the gas
Planning has begun on the first component: extracting methane from the landfill generated by the decomposing garbage. If schedules hold, workers in March will begin planting pipes deep into the landfill to draw out the methane.
At first, the county will send this gas to methane flares that immediately burn it, Martin said. Residents near the dump and motorists on U.S. 52 should notice a decrease in the landfill's rotten egg odor after that.
Martin said the next step is to purify the gas instead of flaring it. Once treated, it can be piped to SCE&G's natural gas pipeline or to small electrical generators at the landfill that could feed electricity into Santee Cooper's power grid.
If the landfill generates enough gas, some could be used to power county vehicles.
Other puzzle pieces
Extracting and burning methane from the landfill is only part of the overall plan.
Officials also want to build an anaerobic digester, a system that can quickly turn food and yard waste into natural gas.
"Basically you create a little chemical plant that pumps out methane," said Dan Page, chief executive officer of Green Energy Partners. The digester will significantly reduce the amount of waste going into the landfill and generate power.
The most expensive part of the project would be the construction of a 35-megawatt biomass power plant.
Page said the biomass plant would use a process known as fluidized bed combustion, which produces less air pollution than incinerators. The plant would be built next to the landfill and burn sewer sludge and construction and wood waste destined for the county's landfill, as well as freshly cut timber.
To create a steam to drive the plant's generator, the county would use treated water from a wastewater plant it expects to build near the landfill within the next two years, Martin said. Without the biomass plant, that water, about 1.2 million gallons a day, would end up in the Cooper River.
The biomass plant along with the methane from the digester and landfill could generate more than 37 megawatts, enough to power between 18,500 and 23,500 homes, or roughly the combined number of housing units in Goose Creek, Hanahan and Moncks Corner.
If built, it would be the second biomass plant in South Carolina. Santee Cooper is building a $170 million 50-megawatt biomass burner in Newberry. "They're not co-locating it with a waste treatment plant, which is a big advantage with ours," Page said.
Another new system at the landfill would take oil and restaurant grease and convert it into pellets. The pellets would be burned in a generator capable of pumping two more megawatts into the electric grid.
Page said his company also is studying whether a solar power component makes sense.
'Ahead of the curve'
The county's plans come amid the Obama administration's new efforts to reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels and address the global warming issue.
Though carbon dioxide is often pegged as the prime culprit driving global climate change, methane actually is 21 times more powerful than CO2 in warming the atmosphere.
Conservationists seemed encouraged by the county's plans, or at least its effort to think of creative solutions. "It sounds like they're ahead of the curve," said Art von Lehe, a member of the area's Green Ribbon Committee and an environmental studies adjunct faculty member at the College of Charleston.
Berkeley County residents dump about 230,000 tons of garbage into the landfill a year. Unlike Charleston County, which may run out of room in its Bees Ferry Landfill within a few years, Berkeley County has 20 years left in its current landfill with property nearby that could be used for more trash.
Martin said that if the bio-energy complex is built, the landfill's lifespan could be extended for "our children's children and beyond."
Reach Tony Bartelme at 937-5554 or tbartelme@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Finally a good story coming out of Berkeley counties government!
January 27, 2009 at 6:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
Does anyone have a bottom line cost on this yet. Sounds good on the face of it. I hesitate, because I would expect that everyone would have this if it were so good.
January 27, 2009 at 7:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
http://www.epa.gov/lmop/proj/index.htm
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/...
http://www.epa.gov/lmop/res/orange.htm
January 27, 2009 at 8:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
martin (anonymous) says...
SUMTER COUNTY IS TRYING TO WORK OUT A DEAL WITH CLARENDON COUNTY TO PIPE IT'S SEWAGE ACROSS CLARENDON TO THE HEADWATERS OF THE SANTEE RIVER. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO JUMP ON THIS. READ ABOUT IT IN THE MANNING TIMES AND SUMTER ITEM.
January 27, 2009 at 8:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dawhetsell (anonymous) says...
eyfigueroa shows a lot of methane taps for gas. A lot of Goverments all over the world have tryed to convert MSW (municipal solid waste) into energy. It is very expensive and most have shut down.
http://coe.fit.edu/civil/heck_researc...
January 27, 2009 at 9:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
meesta_challie (anonymous) says...
Bravo !
Even if others have tried this, it's still worth trying again.
Maybe it won't be an economic goldmine, but if this process
can reduce our waste problem, it's worth trying.
January 27, 2009 at 9:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hwebster (anonymous) says...
I've visited Mt. Trashmore in Va. Beach, Va on a number of occassions since 1971. Neat way to retake and use a solid waste landfill. Excelent venue for outdoor concerts, water shows, skate board compitition as well as soap box derby races.
Perhaps a look/see at that could provoke some additonal ideas.
January 27, 2009 at 9:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wjhamilton3 (anonymous) says...
"Another new system at the landfill would take oil and restaurant grease and convert it into pellets. The pellets would be burned in a generator capable of pumping two more megawatts into the electric grid."
Is this the best option if we have a bio diesel plant operating in N. Charleston now? Their primary feedstock is chicken fat, which has gotten expensive as oil has gone up. Wouldn't it make sense to send the waste oil and grease to the bio diesel plant. I don't know how they are coping now that Oil is down.
Having a greater variety of raw materials would reduce the impact of oil prices on their cost. Chicken fat for bio diesel tracks fuel oil in the market apparently.
It doesn't look like the future is going to be running on cheap or easy energy no matter what we do.
I understand the days when you could drive around and pick up five gallon cans of used fryer oil are over. People know what it it worth now.
January 27, 2009 at 10:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beefsaver (anonymous) says...
Quick, someone send the EMTs over to ZoomRU's house... I think he's had a heart attack because a local government is actually taking steps to fulfill his master plan! (Just kidding)
Of course, there's nary a mention of "plasma" anywhere, but hey progress is progress. Good on ye Berkeley County... first some actual plans to improve Clements Ferry road and now this! Bring in some curbside-pickup recycling and I might stop cursing you in my sleep.
January 27, 2009 at 10:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UrGatorbait (anonymous) says...
Good now lets get some wind farms going, solar grids, and more credits for making houses more energy efficient to help be better stewards and wean ourselves from the mid-east oil teat.
It isn't going to be cheap.
January 27, 2009 at 11:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Zod (anonymous) says...
The mismanaged authority that raised the bill on every one of it's customers to the tune of a 25% increase in one year is now charged with this boondoggle.
That's great!
January 27, 2009 at 12:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
LOL......LOL..!!
Look out TAXPAYERS..!!!
Hmm....don't you ALL think you deserve a BREAKDOWN in costs and ramifications between ALL solutions that are AVAILABLE..?!?!
POSTERS.....just think for a minute...THIS WILL NEVER CLOSE THE LANDFILL..????
YES, I agree it is BETTER than what we have right now. It is great news that ANYONE in Government is actually thinking..!!
MAKE NO Mistake......from what is described.....look at how many different "HANDS" are in the pot!?!?! Not only that .....the COUNTY still has its hands on your wallets. If the cities actually installed the PLASMA CONVERTERS from www.startech.net ...the cities would benefit.
We also need to see how the companies who are going to be OPERATING this system has the CONTRACTS spelled out. WE CERTAINLY DO NOT want a 20 year contract like MONTENAY. Think of how technology will change in the coming years !!!!! OUR TRASH WILL STILL HAVE TO BE BURIED to extract the METHANE.!?! RIGHT....???
WHO WANTS buried trash if using the PLASMA CONVERTERS will NOT require the TRASH to be BURIED..???? Think of all the DIESEL FUEL that will be used to bury the trash by the Heavy Equipment...!!! Think of all the Diesel fuel to be used in Hauling the trash out to a COUNTY LANDFILL.
The major benefit in the PLASMA CONVERTER option is the fact that LESS Diesel fuel and road wear on trash trucks will be experienced.!!!
THINK PEOPLE.....this does nothing to STREAMLINE the process in actuality. Especially for the BOYz who control the diesel FUEL CONTRACTS..!!!!
TRASH HAS A FINITE AMOUNT OF ENERGY....!!! Methane tapping is a SLOW release whereas Plasma Converters are a "Faster" release option. AND when the whole process is reviewed ...it is a cheaper and more efficient way to harness the ENERGY !!!!
Would you not AT LEAST expect to see your government breakdown in print the COSTS associated with all OPTIONS that we have and LET US review...????!!!!
THINK PEOPLE.....and grab your wallet !!!!!!!
January 27, 2009 at 1:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
Mr. Collin Martin...........I hope you have educated yourself at www.startech.net..!!!
Mr. Martin..... you do know that LANDFILLS are obsolete with today's technology???
Mr. Martin...you do KNOW that both WET and DRY refuse can be used in the PLASMA CONVERTERS from www.startech.net
Mr. Martin.....ask your wife to read at startech's website and have her call Bob Schukal at 203-762-2499 to get more information that will impact the children of OUR area for DECADES to come....!!!!
By implementing these Plasma Converters in each CITY, remind her that WE would be using LESS diesel FUEL from Hugo Chavez and Ahab the Arab...!!!!
Also ...remind her of the CAT LITTER BOX visual when talking about LANDFILLS in general and that WE are better than CATS !!! The LORD did bless US with a MIND to think...!!!
Mr. Collins........NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND UP and be a South Carolinian...!!!!!!!
OBAMA wants .....CHANGE !!! So...what are we changing if we still have a LANDFILL..?!?!
January 27, 2009 at 3:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
WOW.....SC Senator MIKE ROSE and "Wild Bill" Collins !!!!!
What does this say about your leadership..!!! I highly suggest you BOTH call down to the Berk County Council and have a CHAT...!!!
You ARE leaders of the Community ...ARE'nt YOU !!!!
Don't tell us here that GREEN ENERGY Solutions funded your ELECTION campaigns...!!!!
Who is on the BOARD of this Company.....can you guess??
Uh ..oh !!!??
Where is Chrispia....???
I wonder why DANA BEACH of the CCL is not dancing in the STREETS...???? I know where a 150K study would have paid dividends for all citizens of this STATE...!!!!!!
MY BACKSIDE.........!!!!!!
Mr. DANA BEACH of the CCL......where is YOUR trash DUMPED...!!!!!!!
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF LANDFILLS...........!!!!!!
WHO Did the CCL fund in the ELECTION.........!!!!!
DANA Beach........do you REALLY love South Carolina..?????!
DANA....how do you know if Mike Rose or Bill Collins does??? Have you asked them if they have heard of Plasma Converters???
January 27, 2009 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Commonman (anonymous) says...
Why don't they use the money to buy out all of the residents who want to sell in that area who have to smell the stench? The County has created a mega dump in that area and has destroyed property values. Wonder what the dump has done to the water table and water quality? The County officials can pat themselves on their backs, but they have given a kick in the rear to long time residents of that area.
January 27, 2009 at 5:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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