Session 5.3: Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy

May 22nd, 2019

With increased urbanization and rural development, waste generation and agriculture biomass will continue to increase at exponential rates. Presenters in this session provided the latest data and information on technologies for extracting energy from waste products; new biomass conversion technologies; biochar from biomass and solid waste; gasification and pyrolysis; waste to biochemical products and materials; integrated system solutions for optimal use of bioenergy and waste, and examples of smart policies and incentives.

Moderator: Stephen Peters, (Senior Energy Specialist (Waste to Energy) for ADB)

Presenters:

Plastics to Power™, Conversion of Marine Debris and Non-Recyclable Waste to Power and Clean Water
Adam Aleksander, President, PtP Energy Systems, LLC

This presentation discussed a propriety Plastics to Power conversion technology to produce power, clean desalinated water, and industrial process heat to shore-side communities, while eliminating marine debris, coastal plastic thrash, biomass, municipal non-recyclables, and semi-hazardous waste. The barge or land based system, combined with digitized collection, can service a wide geographic or community area.

Rice Straw to Biogas: A Ground-Breaking Pilot in the Philippines
Craig Jamieson, Director, Straw Innovations Limited

For every kilogram of rice, a kilo or more of straw is produced as a by-product. There are currently few commercial uses for rice straw, so around 300 million tonnes of it is simply burned in the field each year across Asia. This presentation highlighted an innovative 1,000m3 pilot plant in Laguna, Philippines, to demonstrate rice straw collection and processing to make biogas (methane) as a clean cooking fuel. It also provided lessons learned as well as conditions needed for replication at scale.

Development of Community Based Hybrid Renewable Energy in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija
Ruth P. Briones, President/CEO, Greenergy Solutions Inc.

This presentation highlighted the development of a community-based renewable energy system: a 10-MW solar farm co-located with 5.0 MW Biomass project with organized people's participation.

Implementation of WtE as a Sustainable Urban Energy Solution in Sri Lanka
Thusitha Sugathapala, Senior Lecturer, University of Moratuwa

This presentation provided a national perspective on waste to energy (WtE) as a sustainable urban energy solution in Sri Lanka. It also discussed challenges related to waste collection, composition, heating value, quantity, transport distance, expertise, finance, land, etc.