Report to/Rapport au :

Joint Meeting of

Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee

and Planning and Environment Committee

Réunion conjointe du

Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique

et Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

and / et

and Council / et au Conseil

7 September 2005 / le 7 septembre 2005

Submitted by/Soumis par : Kent Kirkpatrick,

City Manager/Directeur des services municipaux

and / et

R.G. Hewitt,

Acting Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint intérimaire,

Public Works and Services/Services et Travaux publics 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Kenneth J. Brothers, P.Eng., Director/Directeur

Utility Services/Services publics

(613) 580-2424 x22609, Ken.Brothers@ottawa.ca

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Pierre Pagé, City Clerk/Director, Greffier/Directeur

City Clerk’s Branch/Direction du greffe

(613) 580-2424 x22408, Pierre.Page@ottawa.ca

Ref N°: ACS2005-CMR-OCM-0012

SUBJECT:	EVALUATION PROJECT - PLASMA WASTE CONVERSION
OBJET :	Projet de dÉmonstration – REVALORISATION DES DÉCHETS PAR TRAITEMENT plasma

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That Planning & Environment Committee and Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend that Council authorize the City Manager to proceed with an agreement with Plasco Energy Group as outlined in the accompanying report to construct a Plasma Waste Conversion evaluation plant at the Trail Waste Facility.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement ainsi que le Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique recommandent au Conseil municipal d’autoriser le directeur municipal à signer l’entente avec Plasco Energy Group, tel qu’elle est présentée dans le rapport ci-joint, en vue de construire une usine-pilote de revalorisation des déchets par traitement plasma à la décharge contrôlée du chemin Trail.

BACKGROUND

The Environmental Agenda of the City Corporate Plan includes the following actions:

§ “Achieve a waste diversion target of 40% by the end of 2006…and 60% by 2008;

§ Initiate the Trail Waste Facility gas-electricity conversion project;

§ Develop a climate-change adaptation plan that …fulfills Kyoto Protocol commitments; and

§ Identify changes in City operations…that will improve air quality.”

Currently, the City of Ottawa collects approximately 310,000 tonnes/year of municipal solid waste (MSW). Of this, 30% is “diverted” from landfill, and is either composted or recycled. Implementation of a source separated organics (SSO) program commencing in 2008 will help the City to achieve its target of 60% diversion. However, even at that rate Ottawa will have a continuing need to landfill approximately 124,000 tonnes/year at the current waste generation levels. Waste production rates and disposal methods are functions of many variables, and despite the success we may achieve in changing human behaviour and doubling diversion, there will continue to be residual waste produced. In short, we have yet to arrive at a means of diverting all waste from landfill, and there will continue to be a substantial amount of residual waste requiring disposal management. This is a global reality, and is not unique to Ottawa.

Landfills are costly to site and operate; they release harmful green house gases (GHG), and are a long-term liability and cost to municipalities. Most commonly practiced waste disposal methods have comparable or greater environmental risks, and are not appealing options. In the words of Ottawa 20/20, greener, more environmentally sensitive and innovative solutions are needed for solid waste management. In evaluating potential solutions, current policy also directs staff to explore opportunities for private sector delivery options that could lessen the risk and financial burden on the City.

Both the City’s Integrated Waste Management Master Plan (IWMMP) and Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan (AQCCMP) speak to the need to investigate and implement new technologies in the management of solid waste and reduction of GHG emissions. Specifically, the AQCCMP commits the City to “reduce corporate GHG emissions by 20%” by 2007, and proposes to achieve up to 12% of those savings through implementation of the landfill gas recovery system and generation plant at the Trail Waste Facility that is currently under design.

Earlier this year, the City became aware of a local technology that may help to further reduce GHG emissions while reducing landfill use. In order to allow for better assessment of its technology, Plasco Energy Group proposes to construct a generation facility at Trail Waste Facility to be fuelled by gases formed during the processing of residual solid waste. The Plasco evaluation plant would gasify 75 tonnes/day of residual waste, with the resultant gases fed to a set of three gas engines/generators. The engines are a larger version of the equipment to be used at the City’s Landfill Gas Utilization project, with both facilities generating electricity and feeding into the grid under agreement with Hydro Ottawa.

Plasco’s Plasma Waste Conversion process is a proven technology, however, it requires evaluation from an operational perspective. Construction and operation of an evaluation plant will provide the City with the information needed to determine the viability of continued or expanded use of this technology.

The purpose of this report is to explain more fully the opportunities and costs to the City of the Plasco Energy Group proposal; to obtain Council support for moving forward with this innovative technology; and to outline how this evaluation project to evaluate the technology fits into the City’s short and long-term solid waste and air quality management plans.

DISCUSSION

The City regularly receives proposals to support, participate in, and fund various initiatives, many of which involve new and emerging technologies. Occasionally, a proposal provides sufficient benefit to the City, manages the associated risks, and aligns well with corporate policy and direction.

Plasco Energy Group (formally RCL Plasma Inc.) is a local firm specializing in the field of plasma gasification. Plasma gasification is a process that breaks down products into their most elemental forms (e.g. nitrogen, oxygen, carbon), and reconstitutes them into specific gases (e.g. carbon monoxide, methane, hydrogen) that can be used to fuel gas generators to produce electricity. Plasma Energy Group proposes that the City participate in an evaluation project that would establish a waste processing plant to convert 75 tonnes/day of municipal solid waste (MSW) into a synthetic gas and other outputs at the Trail Waste Facility (TWF). The proposal is to also establish a power generation plant at the TWF that would use the synthetic gas produced from the MSW to generate enough electricity to power approximately 3,600 homes.

Over the past several years Plasco Energy Group has moved from bench scale laboratory tests, to small working pilots, and is now prepared to construct an evaluation facility-the final stage of research prior to building a commercial plant. The proposed evaluation project would be funded approximately one third by Sustainable Development Technology Canada, with the balance being funded by Plasco, and would operate for one year, during which time both the company and the City would test the usefulness and efficiency of the technology applied to municipal solid waste (MSW.) The firm has operated a pilot scale plant in Spain using MSW produced by the community of Castelgalli since 2004.

The Technology

There are several ways to produce energy, using gas-powered generators. The existing landfill gas to energy project in cooperation with Hydro Ottawa was approved by Council in February 2004. This vacuum collection system is projected to capture in the range of 70-90% (for a fully engineered capped system) of the gases produced at the Trail Waste Facility between 2007 and 2027.

The Plasma Energy Group proposal differs from the City project in that it proposes to greatly accelerate the degradation process that occurs at the landfill, and to capture 100% of the fuel potential of the waste. However, the energy conversion from the gases and heat recovery, may generate almost twice as much power from this process compared to the natural landfill gas production and collection system. Furthermore, the Plasco process is safer for the environment and diverts waste from landfill. Plasma Waste Conversion involves the following steps:

1. Plasma is produced	§ Passing air over an electrical current produces plasma, a superheated gas that exceeds 8000°C.
2. Waste is destroyed	§ Municipal solid waste is discharged into a vessel housing the plasma and is broken down into its constituent atoms (e.g. oxygen, nitrogen, carbon)
3. Synthetic gases are formed	§ Atoms are cooled in a controlled manner that allows for the formation of specific compounds (synthetic gases) suitable for use in a gas generator (e.g. CO, CH4)
4. Synthetic gases are cleaned (emissions control)	§ The synthetic gases are processed using state-of-the-art pollution control systems that remove and feed harmful components back into the plasma gasification vessel.
5. Energy is produced	§ Heat recovered during the cooling process is used to generate steam, which powers a steam turbine that powers a generator to produce electricity.
	§ Cleaned gases are fed to a gas engine that powers a generator to produce electricity.
6. Slag is produced	§ A glass-like, inert material is produced by cooling solids that accumulate in the bottom of the gasification vessel.

The Plasma process is distinctly different than other heat-combustible processes like incineration.

From the process perspective:

§ The physical process within a plasma gasification unit is dramatically different from an incinerator. Plasma gasification renders the residual waste into its constituent elements, which are reconstituted as a synthetic gas and steam. Incineration is a combustion-based process (i.e. waste is burned) that does not result in complete destruction of the MSW, leading to production of bottom and fly ash; and, can produce by-products such as dioxins and furans.

§ Plasma gasification can be used to process all types of waste included in MSW stream, with limited pre-sorting. Incineration requires pre-sorting and separation of certain wastes, which may lead to decreased operational flexibility.

From an Input and Output perspective:

§ Plasma Waste Conversion does not require outside energy sources, except during start-up. The energy produced by the residual waste is projected to be far more than what is required to operate the facility. Incineration often uses more energy than it generates, and may require a fossil fuel to supplement the process. This depends on the condition and the moisture content of the waste.

§ The Plasma Waste Conversion process produces no air emissions. A gas quality management suite is used to remove undesirable compounds from the synthetic gas, prior to utilizing it to produce electricity. Thus, air emissions are limited to those produced during the power generation process, which is as clean or cleaner than electricity generation using natural gas. Incineration results in air emissions that may include higher levels of GHGs and other air pollutants, as well as dioxins and furans.

§ As part of Plasma Waste Conversion, Plasma gasification yields three by-products: synthetic gas, heat and inert slag, all of which have a commercial value. Incineration results in heat, which can be used in energy production, and two types of ash (fly ash and bottom ash). Both types of ash are classified as solid wastes (sometimes classified as hazardous waste), which must be managed and disposed of appropriately.

The Benefits

The Plasco Energy Group (PEG) proposal has the potential to contribute to the fulfilment of key objectives set out in Ottawa 20/20 and the City’s Corporate Agenda.

“Develop a climate-change adaptation plan that …fulfills Kyoto Protocol commitments.”

The synthetic gas created from the process is one of the cleanest and most efficient fuel sources for generating electricity. The proposed evaluation project will have an estimated net energy production of 4MW/year, which is roughly equivalent to the energy demand of approximately 3,600 households.

Plasma Waste Conversion allows for recovery of practically 100% of the energy potential of the residual waste. The same material, when landfilled, would take several years to generate equivalent gas volumes, the type of gases produced would not be controlled, and there are practical limits to the volume that could be captured by the landfill gas collection system. Greenhouse gases continue to be released to the atmosphere by the TWF despite use of the gas collection system. Landfill use can also result in leachate as the waste decomposes. Plasma gasification does not run the risk of creating materials that may leach into the surrounding environment.

“Protect and conserve our resources.”

As the City works towards achieving 60% waste diversion from landfill, there is an underlying question of what happens to the remaining 40% residual waste. Trail Waste Facility has a limited life, which ranges from 10 to 40 years depending upon how quickly the City is able to achieve the 60% diversion target. As TWF approaches its capacity, the City will be faced with the eventual prospect of obtaining approvals for and constructing a new facility elsewhere. Landfills are costly to site and operate, are odorous, noisy and are a long-term cost and liability to municipalities. The proposed evaluation project would enable the City to explore how Ottawa could extend the life of TWF while making productive use of residual waste.

“Link innovation to markets.”

The City recognizes the role it can play in helping to demonstrate the viability of new and emerging technologies. Plasma Waste Conversion improvements have been made. The Plasma Waste Conversion process is at a stage where it is ready to go to market. Sustainable Development Technology Canada, a federal funding agency, indicates that it also believes the firm and the technology are ready for this next step, and will provide significant dollars in support of the demonstration project. There is a tremendous opportunity for Ottawa to play a crucial role in bringing this technology to market by providing the land and waste required for this initiative.

“Ensure cost-effective service delivery options.”

The proposed evaluation project is to last for one year. During that time, the facility will operate as a public-private initiative—privately owned and operated, on City land, processing city waste, and generating energy that feeds to the publicly owned Hydro Ottawa network. Should the potential benefits to the City be realized, Plasco Energy Group has agreed that the City should share in the revenues from the sale of energy produced, and in the marketing value of the demonstration facility in encouraging additional Plasco plants to be built in other communities. Full implementation of this technology may facilitate long-term stabilization in waste management costs by generating a revenue stream to counter increasing operating costs.

“Promote Ottawa to the world.”

Should this project proceed, Plasco Energy Group will be inviting potential clients from across North America and around the world to visit the evaluation site. The project, its operations, and Ottawa’s willingness to explore alternative technologies will be of interest to people worldwide.

The Costs

All planning, design, approval, insurance, construction and decommissioning costs for the demonstration project are to be borne entirely by Plasco Energy Group.

The City is to provide a site on or near the Trail Waste Facility, and to permit the construction of a well and access to other utilities where appropriate. The City will also contribute to operating costs by paying a tipping fee of $40.00/tonne, which is roughly equivalent to what it is currently paid to Waste Management, Inc. for disposal of waste at Carp Landfill. Total tipping fees over the one-year demonstration period will total approximately $600,000.

These internal costs will have a short-term impact on the Solid Waste budget. However, should the demonstration project prove successful, the project will generate a revenue stream that will recoup the monies invested and provide a sustained level of funding to the solid waste program.

Key Considerations

The spirit of the Plasco proposal is for the proponent to bear the risk of the project to the greatest degree possible. However, to ensure the City would not incur unwanted risk, the following factors were considered:

§ Environmental compliance: The proposed technology must demonstrate the ability to meet or exceed environmental standards.

§ Performance: The proposed technology must demonstrate the ability to achieve the intended outcomes, i.e. waste destruction and energy production.

§ Relevant experience: The proponent must have practical demonstrated experience with the technology and the proposed application.

§ Financial and technical backing: The proponent must demonstrate the financial and technical resources to carry out the project and to decommission the project should such be required at any point during or after the evaluation period.

Environmental Compliance

Plasco Energy Group provided Sustainable Development Technology Canada and city staff with air quality monitoring data from operating facilities that demonstrates the ability of the Plasma Waste Conversion system to produce emissions that meet regulatory limits set by the Province of Ontario. The proponent also commissioned the Ontario Ministry of Environment to evaluate the quality of leachate generated from the slag material and found it to be equivalent or better than commercial glass, i.e. inert. (For details, refer to Attachment 1 – Plasco Energy submission.)

This undertaking is a demonstration scale project (less than 100t/d facility) and consequently, Provincial regulations waive the requirement for an environmental assessment. However, all such facilities in the province require a Certificate of Approval - Waste Disposal Site (Processing), and a Certification of Approval - Air, and undergo rigorous review by the Ministry of Environment before obtaining approval to proceed. Ultimately, if the province is not confident in the proposed technology, and the proposed application and Plasco’s detailed design, a Certificate of Approval will not be issued and the project will not proceed.

In carrying out this evaluation project, critical data will be collected and analyzed that will be used to assess the performance and commercial viability of the technology. If the project proves successful, and the City decides to operate the technology on a larger scale, this data will prove crucial to conducting any future environmental assessment.

Performance

Plasma Waste Conversion technology was developed in part by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and has been in use for various small-scale applications for almost 20 years. Over the past five years, Plasco has developed a range of process and reactor design tools in collaboration with the NRC. These tools permit Plasco to confidently design processes, and optimize the design of reactor vessels according to waste streams. It has also allowed for comprehensive data to be collected regarding the certainty that creation of any harmful chemicals such as dioxins does not occur regardless of waste streams.

The technology is proven—it can destroy waste, and it can produce energy. The question remains whether it can do so efficiently and effectively at a large scale, using municipal solid waste as the fuel source. Experience at the facility in Castelgalli, Spain, and modeling of the process indicate that it is feasible. The purpose of this evaluation project is to test this theory at a production level.

If the process works, the City of Ottawa will reap a benefit. If, however, there are operational problems, the risks to the City are minimal. In the event that the Plasco facility becomes inoperable, the City’s hauler will simply take the waste to Trail Waste Facility and will not owe Plasco any lost tipping fees.

Plasco will hold the Certificates of Approval for the facility, and will be responsible for environmental compliance. Similarly, Plasco will be responsible for the end-use of the slag and will have to deal with the slag in accordance with provincial regulations and at its cost. Finally, Plasco will be required to carry sufficient insurance to deal with any potential financial loss, environmental clean up, and compensation resulting from any such problems or accidents that occur at its facility.

Relevant experience

Plasma Energy Group has partnered with two other firms for this project. HERA S.L. is the second largest waste management company in Spain, and will provide the required expertise in waste management. Ameresco Inc. and Ameresco Canada Ltd are builders and operators of small-scale power plants, including plants utilizing landfill gas, and will provide this expertise to the project. The three firms, with the support of experienced local consulting engineers, possess the scope and depth of experience needed to design, build, commission, and operate this type of facility.

The joint venture company HERA-RCL Plasma has operated the demonstration facility in Castelgalli, Spain since 2004 and has used it to make further refinements to the technology. An evaluation facility at Trail Waste Facility will represent the most up to date commercial plant.

Financial and technical backing

Plasco Energy Group has requested a contribution of $6.5 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and recently raised $8.1 million of equity in large part to support the development of this facility. As noted previously, the City will pay a tipping fee to help support the initiative, but will require a performance security to ensure that dollars are available to decommission the plant if Plasco Energy Group were to abandon the project. Hydro Ottawa has agreed to buy all power produced during the up-to-one-year operation of the facility at the market price at the time of purchase.

Proposed Monitoring & Oversight

The evaluation plant will be subject to ongoing professional monitoring by City staff and independent experts. The proponent has also agreed to public monitoring of air emissions by posting results from ongoing emission test instruments on a publicly accessible website. In addition, the process of monitoring and reporting will be undertaken with an external advisory panel that will include representation from the City’s Environmental Advisory Committee.

Next Steps

Upon approval of this proposal, the City Manager will notify Sustainable Development Technology Canada, which is to take a decision on the Plasco Energy Group application in October, 2005. Assuming a successful outcome, the following key steps will be undertaken:

§ A legally binding agreement between the City and Plasco will be executed under the direction of the City Manager (Fall 2005.)

§ A suitable site at the Trail Waste Facility will be identified and detailed designs prepared (Fall-early winter 2005-06.)

§ An advisory committee will be struck to help oversee the project (Fall-early winter 2005-06.)

§ The designs will be submitted to the province for review and approval, and issuance of a Certificate of Approval (Winter 2006)

§ Construction of the facility (Spring-Summer 2006, through early 2007.)

§ Commissioning of the facility (Summer-Fall 2007.)

§ Operation, monitoring, and assessment (Summer-Fall 2007 – Spring 2008.)

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

The Ministry of Environment must issue appropriate Certificate of Approvals before the project can proceed. An Environmental Assessment will be required before a full-scale facility can be constructed.

Both the federal funding agency and the provincial approval authority will require on-going monitoring of air emissions and the slag. The City will participate in the monitoring program and share data with a project advisory committee that will have representation from the City’s Environmental Advisory Committee.

CONSULTATION / PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

The first step of the public consultation process is to deliver a technical briefing to Councillors and their staff. The briefing will be supported by a staff report that will be made available to the public for review.

The report and its recommendations will then be presented to the City’s Planning and Environment Committee, as well as the Corporate Service and Economic Development Committee. During a joint hearing of these committees, delegates from the non-governmental organizations (NGO) community, community organizations and the general public will be welcome to contribute to the discussion. All this information will be considered by the joint committee in forming their recommendation to Council, which will render a final decision.

Ministry of Environment regulations for approval will be followed, including all public notifications with respect to any environmental approvals needed for waste processing or electricity generation.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

This proposal will result in an operating budget pressure of $600,000 for 2007 at the earliest. Depending on the outcome of the upcoming tender for the Solid Waste collection contracts, there may be an opportunity to reduce others costs or generate some revenues to offset this pressure.

With the January 2006 implementation of the Council approved new hybrid funding model for Solid Waste, these costs would be included in the total costs of the landfill and regular garbage collection operations and form part of the flat fee that will be charged to homeowners. Therefore, this proposal has no tax implications.

DISPOSITION

§ City Manager to supervise the drafting and execution of an agreement between the City of Ottawa and Plasco Energy Group for a one-year demonstration project.

§ PWS to provide technical support during the design, operation, monitoring and evaluation of the facility.

Appendix 1

ATTACHMENT 1: Plasco Submission

Plasco’s patented Plasma Waste Conversion process safely disposes of a very wide range of waste materials. The products of this waste disposal process – a clean, combustible product gas, heat and an inert slag – are all commercially valuable products. The technology uses the intense and variable heat produced by plasma torches to decompose waste in a controlled manner. Because an external, controllable heat source is used, the process does not depend upon the heating value of the waste, and does not require fossil-fuel additives such as oil, gas, coal or coke. A stable, high-temperature region can be created and maintained where the waste materials are destroyed.

The patented process controls the heat and the feed rate of the waste material, and if necessary adds controlled amounts of steam and air to create the optimal processing environment to dispose of each type of waste and optimize the gas powered engines or turbines. The uniform, intense and controllable heat produced by the torches can be used to gasify the volatile segments of the waste, and to vitrify the ash in an environmentally benign manner.

The second stage of the project is to take the gas and heat that is generated and refined by the Plasma Waste Conversion process and generate electricity using a combined cycle electrical generating plant. For each tonne processed in an hour, 1.3 MW net of electricity is generated that can be sold to the local power grid. The Plasma gasification and combined-cycle power plant consume less than 25% of the power produced and no power is required from an external power source. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate both stages of the Plasma Waste Conversion process.

Figure 1: MSW Process into Synthetic Gas and Steam

Plasco Submission

Figure 2: Power Generation using the Plasma Waste Conversion Gas and Steam

Steam from PGP Process

The technology will deliver controlled gas composition and flow gas turbines or engines can be used effectively and efficiently. The engines used in the evaluation plant will be of the same type now going into operation using landfill gas captured at the Trail Waste Facility.

In working on this technology for over 20 years, Plasco has perfected a series of new technological solutions. These solutions have been demonstrated through years of bench testing and research which started at the National Research Council in Ottawa. Demonstration projects concentrated on converting inhomogeneous waste into a stable, homogeneous gas which can be used to operate gas engines or turbines. The research has targeted a consistent gas composition, and many small breakthroughs in the control methods have lead to a more efficient energy conversion process.

Plasco has conducted extensive demonstration scale testing using the plasma gasification on many types of waste to perfect its commercial scale solution. Testing has been conducted on a variety of materials including municipal solid waste and biomedical waste at a research facility in Ottawa. Further refinement and development has been conducted at the commercial facility in Castelgalli, Spain. Demonstration work has also included stack sampling performed by independent third-parties.

Plasco Submission

The results show that Plasco Energy Group’s patented technology can safely convert waste into saleable electricity with environmental performance that far exceeds standards anywhere in the world.

Performance in Waste Management

A recovered-energy facility using Plasco’s technology serves to eliminate the environmental and land use impacts of MSW. The PGP reduces the volume of solid material by more than 250:1, with the residual solid being inert and of potential value in building materials and other industrial applications. This slag has been subjected to compressive testing and has proven to be completely inert. Slag produced from biomedical waste was tested and reviewed by the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Environment and demonstrated much lower leachability than did the glass from a soda bottle. Plasco intends to sell the slag from this project as rod aggregate, although higher value products may be manufactured. This means that no outputs of the PGP require landfill — resulting in extended, and potentially unlimited, landfill life.

Table 1 compares the potential differences in environmental impacts of landfill versus the Plasco Plasma Waste Conversion process.

MSW processing performance :

· 75 MTPD of municipal solid waste into PGP syngas and inert slag

· No air emissions

· No leachate

· No requirement for landfill of residual material

Power generation with Plasma Waste Conversion Gas performance:

· 5.1 MW electricity generated, 4.0 net available for the grid

· Low carbon load (conversion efficiency is high so carbon loading per MWh is low)

· Air emissions from engine exhausts are below prescribed standards

Plasco Submission

Table 1: Emissions from Plasma Waste Conversion gas power generation in comparison to MoEE Standards

Air Emissions (Parameters to monitor after combustion engine	Tightened Incinerator Requirements Issued in 2004 by MOE (A-7)	European Standard	Jenbacher Engines Using Natural Gas	Jenbacher Engines Using Landfill Gas (Trail Road)	Conventional Coal-base electrical generation (world bank stds)	Standard Automobile Engine (Drive Clean)	Jenbacher Engines Using gas from Plasco Energy PGP Process for Ottawa
HCl	18 ppmv	7 ppmv* (10 mg/Rm^3)	nil	10 ppmv	nil	nil	3.3 ppmv
SO2	21 ppmv	19 ppmv* (50 mg/Rm^3)	1 ppmv	12 ppmv	750 ppmv	7.5 ppmv (low S gas)	3 ppmv
NOx	110 ppmv	159 ppmv* (200 mg/Rm^3)	200 ppmv* (250 mg/Rm^3)	200 ppmv* (250 mg/Rm^3)	365 ppmv	600 ppmv	<110 ppmv
Organic Matter	100 ppmv	10 mg/Rm^3	10 ppmv	100 ppmv	200 ppmv	200 ppmv	10 ppmv
Particulate Matter	17 mg/Rm^3	10 mg/Rm^3	10mg/Rm^3	10 mg/Rm^3	50 mg/Rm^3		10mg/Rm^3
Dioxins and Furans	80 pg/Rm^3	100 pg/Nm^3	nil	0-100 pg/Rm^3nil (See note 1)	low	(diesels can emit high levels of dioxins)	0-30 pg/Rm^3nil (See note 2)

Note 1 – In normal operation, levels of dioxins and furans are non-detectable. During equipment or process malfunctions, dioxins may be formed. During these brief and infrequent periods, combustion of landfill gas has been shown to produce up to 100 picograms/Nm3 of dioxins.

Note 2– In normal operation, the Plasco process dissociates waste to the atomic level – dioxins and furans are absent at the exit from the converter. During equipment or process malfunctions, dioxins may be formed (mainly in the gas quality control suite) until the equipment is shutdown, or until the process is re-stabilized. During these short and infrequent transition periods, the facility may produce 0-30 picogram/Nm3 of dioxins and furans.

* Converted from the format originally quoted by the specification or engine. The original format is found in parentheses.

Plasco Energy Group demonstrated and refined the effectiveness of its plasma gasification process in Ottawa using surrogate biomedical waste as the feed material. The test program was conducted from 1992 to 1994, and was done in cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of Energy and the Environment. Testing was done using Plasco’s plasma research facility in Gloucester, Ontario. This facility includes a 200KW plasma heating system, a number of prototype feeders, and a small commercial air pollution control system. During these tests, the product gas was combusted in a very simple, low-cost combustion chamber. Air sampling was done by a third party and all tests were conducted in cooperation with the MoEE.

The tests clearly demonstrated that Plasco’s Plasma Waste Conversion processing can dramatically exceed all air emission standards. The simple, low-cost combustion chamber used in early testing means the process has been significantly refined since the Ottawa testing. Air emissions, therefore, will be further improved by improvements in design of the commercial units that will combust the product gas.

Plasco Submission

Plasco also conducted leachability tests on the slag that was produced. As the results below indicate the slag from the plasma processing of surrogate biomedical waste exhibited lower

leachability properties than a crushed soda bottle. In effect the slag can be considered to be inert and non-leachable. Table 2 compares the leaching characteristics of Plasco’s slag to a common soda bottle.

Table 2: Leachate Characteristics of Plasco Slag

The resulting slag glass material can be used in a number of applications, including concrete and other applications that call for aggregate. The expected result is that waste sent to the Plasco evaluation facility will require zero landfill space to accommodate residue from the process. If the City elects to keep the evaluation facility or expand it, the technology holds the promise of eliminating all residual waste after recycling and reduction options are exhausted.

Performance in Electricity Generation

The gas produced from the PGP is used to power engines that create electricity. For the 75 tonne per day facility, 5.10 MW will be generated with a net of 4.0 MW being sold back into the local power grid. The facility powers itself on 25% of the electricity that it generates.

The electricity that can be produced from municipal solid waste can replace that quantity of electricity that would otherwise be produced by using fossil fuels in current circumstances — primarily natural gas or coal.

All volatile material is maintained within a sealed system and is converted into electricity without atmospheric contact. The exhaust of the entire process produces greenhouse and CAC emissions per kilowatt that are equal to or lower than those from natural gas derived electricity.

Plasco Submission

Table 3 compares the efficiency of Plasma Waste Conversion to Landfill Gas Recovery in the production of energy.

Table 3: Comparison of Energy Efficiency

Process	Conversion Efficiency of Gas to Electricity^1	Added Efficiency from Heat Recovery	Combined Conversion Efficiency
Landfill Gas (Jenbacher Engine Model 320)	38.2 %	0%	38.2%
Plasco Syngas (Jenbacher Engine Model 616)	39.8%	16.2%^2	56%

1. All efficiencies are refer to low heating value of fuel gas

2. Includes heat recovery from hot syngas

· 75 MTPD is converted into 5.2 MW gross of electrical power and 8.6 tonnes per day of inert slag

· Plant operation requires up to 25% of the electricity generated, thus delivering 4 MW of electricity onto the grid

The process of extracting energy from biomass has inherent advantages over petroleum or coal based electricity. The GHG emissions and cost of extraction alone place biomass conversion at the forefront of climate change technologies. The use of biomass already above the ground is inherently more efficient – with the right process – than resource extraction.

Even discounting this advantage and the GHGs produced through the normal decay of landfill material, the gas produced by the Plasco technology provides cleaner electricity than most practical alternatives.

Table 4: Comparison of Plasma Gasification to Other Energy Production Methods

Issue	Coal (standard combustion)	Diesel (no cogen)	Natural Gas (with cogen)	Landfill Gas (no cogen)	Plasma Waste Conversion Gas (with cogen)
Renewable or fossil fuel feedstock	F	F	F	R	R
Conversion efficiency comparing the low heating value of the fuel (similar sized facilities)	28%	30%	43%	38.2%	56%

F= Fossil Fuel

R= Renewable Source

Plasco Submission

Table 5 compares Incineration Technology with the Plasco Plasma Waste Conversion.

Table 5: Product Comparison: Incineration versus Plasma Waste Conversion

Issue	Incineration	Plasco Plasma Waste Conversion
Net conversion efficiencies of plant	<20%	33%
Fly Ash	Yes	No
Bottom Ash	Yes	No
Converts non-combustibles to an organic product	No	Yes
Auxiliary fossil fuel feedstocks	Yes	No

Plasco Submission