Waste to Energy

Electricity is produced in developed countries largely from burning fossil fuels obtained continentally (coal, oil and natural gas) and shipped to major generating stations. Hydro-electricity and other renewable sources of electricity constitute a very small part (8%) of power supplies, and although renewables in the form of wind and solar power are increasing steadily, it will be many years, if ever, before they seriously impact fossil fuel burning as the major source of our energy needs.

Zero Waste, in cooperation with EEC Energy of Thunder Bay, Ontario, has brought to market a breakthrough design of anaerobic digester that will provide farmers who produce organic waste streams (manure and slaughterhouse wastes) with a means to go “off grid” and manufacture their own power and heat. The technology achieves high levels of methane output and destruction of pathogens by engineering a high-energy feedstock blend and heating the tank to 55ºC. At this level methanogenesis is maximized (up to 70% methane produced by volume) and 99.99999% of all known pathogens are destroyed.

In addition to agri-business power generation, ZWES is working actively with Advanced Biorefinery Inc. of Ottawa, Ontario to develop its state of the art pyrolysis process for the manufacture of bio-liquids and syngas from waste materials such as municipal solid waste. ZWES is working with Star Rotor Inc. of College Station, Texas, to develop an advanced generator that will run extremely efficiently (60-65% electrical efficiency) on both bio-liquids and syngas.