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Waste to Energy Assessment Recycling Council of Alberta WTE Symposium Thursday, March 12, 2020
Waste to Energy AssessmentRecycling Council of Alberta WTE Symposium
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Presentation Overview1. Planning Process in BC2. WTE Overview3. Intro to Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM)4. WTE Study Results5. Questions
Overview Plan Review Process1. Initiate the
Planning Process
2. Set Plan Direction
3. Develop and Implement
Consultation Plan
4. Evaluate Options
5. Prepare & Adopt the Plan
Approach to Solid Waste Planning
§Current System Review§Waste Diversion
§ Reduce, Reuse and Recycle§Energy / Materials Recovery§Residual Waste Management§System Financing
MOE WTE Considerations§ Focus on waste hierarchy, waste reduction
§ Set a 350 kg/capita/year disposal target§WTE must be in solid waste management plans, approved by
MOE§Assess and compare treatment and disposal options§Adopt best achievable technology§Meet air emissions requirements for solid waste facilities
WTE Overview§Conventional WTE systems
§ Essentially power plants using waste as fuel instead of natural gas, coal or wood
§Advanced WTE systems § Pyrolysis / gasification – convert carbon-based waste into gas burned
for power, or converted to fuel (for burning)§ In BC MOE doesn’t consider anaerobic digestion WTE§Mixed waste processing – considered alongside other recovery
options
The role of WTE in an Integrated System
§With recycling and organics treatment:
Recycling
Landfill Landfill
ThermalTreatment
OrganicTreatment
Metro Vancouver WTE
§Operational since 1988§ 250,000 tonnes per year§Numerous upgrades§Meets all air emission
standards
York Durham WTE§ Newest large-scale WTE plant in Canada. Started operations 2016§ Mass burn technology§ Capacity 140,000 tonnes per year, upgrading to 160,000 tonnes§ Ultimate capacity 400,000 tonnes per year
Chester, NS WTE
§ 70,000 tonnes per year§ Technology is pyrolysis §Producing synthetic diesel, refuse
derived fuel (RDF) and potential to make biochar for agricultural applications
§Currently being commissioned. Expected to run at capacity in early 2020
Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM)
CSWM Overview§Geographically large – 24,000 km2
§ Two regional districts – population of 112,000§Over 100,000 tonnes of waste and recycling managed§Moving to one regional landfill (65,000 tonnes) §Solid waste management plan
§ Updated in 2011§ Reviewed again in 2017
§ 2011 review – detailed study of WTE costs and GHG emissions
CSWM Full System Costs
2018 WTE Study Overview§Update 2011 study – costs and greenhouse gas emissions for
scenarios§Assess three potential locations §Estimated scenario costs:
§ Transfer station construction and operation§ Landfill operation, closure and post closure§ WTE facility construction and operation
§Estimated GHG emissions for each scenario
Review and Shortlist Process§Request for Information (RFI) issued for vendors§Six vendor submissions reviewed§Essential and desirable criteria developed §Submissions evaluated and scored§Shortlisted three vendors for further review§Potential costs and GHG emissions assessed for two
Waste flow – Status Quo
Waste flow – Sustane
Waste flow – Waste Treatment Technologies
Average Disposal Cost per Tonne
Increasing capacity - Estimated average disposal cost per tonne
Option Over 40 years
0 Status Quo $75
1(a) WTT in Comox Valley $163
3(a) Sustane in Comox Valley $107
Total Disposal Costs
System Cost Breakdown
GHG emissions over 40 years
Option TechnologyTonnes CO2e
LandfillTonnes CO2e
Transfer Stations
Tonnes CO2eTotal
Tonnes CO2e
0 Status Quo 0 890,000 9,000 899,000
1(a) WTT in Comox Valley -1,060,000 178,000 9,000 -873,000
3(a) Sustane in Comox Valley -339,000 178,000 9,000 -152,000
What now in BC?§Continued interest in WTE and related technologies
§ Strong interest in Sustane facility in Nova Scotia§Also strong interest in mixed waste processing
§ Municipal solid waste or construction / demolition§Continued move toward organics diversion
§ Composting and / or anaerobic digestion
