Recovering Energy from Waste without Landfilling or Incineration

Ze-gen, Inc., a US-based firm with plans to build their second commercial scale plant in the UK, has an answer to the problem of the economic viability of waste gasification. With its liquid metal gasification technology, Ze-gen can reliably produce tar-free synthesis gas from selected waste materials, including construction and demolition (C&D) wood waste.

In the UK, 120 million tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation waste arise every year. This is around one third of the country’s total waste arisings. Too much of the rubbish currently ends up on landfills which are a significant source of environmental damage. Once the discarded materials are in the ground they break down to form methane and carbon dioxide, two potent greenhouse gases.

Gasification of waste materials is not a new idea and so far commercial viability remained elusive. Ze-gen’s approach to the technology is different in that its liquid metal gasifier results in extremely low thermal losses while ensuring tar-free synthesis gas (syngas). Syngas can be used to produce power, heat or liquid fuels