The Case for Waste to Energy: Utilizing Low-Btu Reciprocating Gas Engine Generators

 With the development of large reciprocating generator sets that can run reliably on alternative fuels such as low-Btu (i.e. dilute) methane, landfills, waste treatment plants, coal mining facilities and other sources of waste fuel now have a way to harness these “free” energy sources. Low-Btu reciprocating generator sets use proven technology to produce significant amounts of power from fuels that would otherwise be vented to the atmosphere, including methane a “greenhouse gas” that has been implicated in global warming.

This paper outlines the process for determining waste to energy site suitability, reviews the maintenance issues and technology answers related to contaminants often found in methane, and cites several working waste-to energy installations as examples of installed waste-to-energy applications.