to read the full report - Ecolateral by Peter Jones
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Evaluation of Opportunities for Converting Indigenous UK Wastes <strong>to</strong> Fuels and Energy<br />
AEA/ED45551/Issue 1<br />
We have identified <strong>the</strong> following manufactured fuels on sale or planned in <strong>the</strong> UK.<br />
• Solid recovered fuels. These fuels are produced from mixed wastes from <strong>the</strong> municipal and<br />
commercial stream <strong>by</strong> separating <strong>the</strong> high heating value components.<br />
• Graded waste wood fuels. Waste wood is collected from industry and amenity centres and<br />
graded depending on <strong>the</strong> level of contamination. The grades are <strong>the</strong>n chipped and sold <strong>to</strong> a<br />
specification.<br />
• Clean grade wood chips from virgin materials. Wood residues for forestry and sawmills are<br />
chipped and potentially dried <strong>to</strong> meet a specification.<br />
• Domestic grade wood pellet fuel from saw mill <strong>by</strong>-product. Sawmill residues, in particular<br />
sawdust, is dried and compressed through a die in<strong>to</strong> small cylinders. This fuel is clean, free<br />
flowing and suitable for small scale combustion appliances.<br />
• Industrial grade pellet from forestry, cereal processing residue and clean waste wood.<br />
This is similar <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> domestic pellet but has a higher ash content and larger size.<br />
• Thermochemical fuels. These are chars and pyrolysis oils produced close <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> point of<br />
arising. We also include <strong>to</strong>rrefaction, or high temperature drying in this category.<br />
Following a review of <strong>the</strong> area our conclusions were as follows;<br />
• Processes are commercially available for producing fuels from MSW and C&I waste using <strong>the</strong><br />
heat from composting as <strong>the</strong> energy for drying.<br />
• Processes for <strong>the</strong> production of fuels using <strong>the</strong>rmal energy <strong>to</strong> dry and sterilise waste are currently<br />
being demonstrated and may offer advantages in providing a more consistent product that is<br />
biologically stable for longer periods.<br />
• Standards for fuels derived from MSW are being developed but are not as yet widely used.<br />
• The production of graded wood waste fuels has expanded rapidly in <strong>the</strong> last three years.<br />
Standards and codes are being adopted <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> industry which is aiding acceptance and<br />
development.<br />
• Clean wood fuels are becoming widesp<strong>read</strong> and standards and codes are being adopted <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
industry.<br />
• Fuels prepared using pyrolysis and <strong>to</strong>rrefaction have been proposed but as yet are not<br />
implemented commercially.<br />
• There is no technical constraint for <strong>the</strong> development of this sec<strong>to</strong>r although <strong>the</strong>re are some non<br />
technical barriers remaining concerned with <strong>the</strong> adaptation of codes and standards.<br />
The wide variation in <strong>the</strong> physical and chemical properties of <strong>the</strong> various waste streams has led <strong>to</strong> many<br />
processes being developed and proposed. For example, <strong>the</strong> only energy recovery solution for <strong>the</strong><br />
majority of wet wastes is anaerobic digestion - for dry wastes <strong>the</strong>rmal processes such as combustion are<br />
more suitable. Given <strong>the</strong> wide differences in <strong>the</strong> technologies we chose <strong>to</strong> treat <strong>the</strong> conversion<br />
technologies in three categories; combustion, <strong>the</strong>rmochemical processes, and biological processes.<br />
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