Abstract
This NREL technical report evaluates the environmental impact and fundamental economics of waste-to-energy (WTE) technology based on available data from commercially operating WTE facilities in the United States. In particular, it considers life-cycle impacts of WTE as compared to landfill disposal and various forms of electrical generation, as well as WTE impacts on source reduction or recyclingprograms. In addition, it evaluates the economics and potential environmental impact of WTE in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) based on existing USVI waste stream characterization data, recycling challenges unique to the USVI, and the results of cost and environmental modeling of four municipal solid waste (MSW) management options, including landfill, refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production,recycling, and gassification plus RDF.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 23 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2011 |
NREL Publication Number
- NREL/TP-7A20-52308
Keywords
- AEG
- Alpine Energy Group
- Edin, U.S. Virgin Islands
- energy development
- gassification
- island nations
- landfills
- MSW
- municipal solid waste management
- RDF
- recycling
- refuse-derived fuel
- St. Croix
- St. John
- St. Thomas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- waste-to-energy
- WTE