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June 2008 CDM GCL
June 2008 CDM GCL
June 2008 CDM GCL
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
Dirk Lechtenberg MVW Lechtenberg
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ALTERNATIVE FUELS
Most of the landfills are located close to roads or
residential areas. There isn’t any regulation for the op-
eration of such sites, so waste is delivered by citizens
or industry without a regular treatment on the sites
themselves. Waste is often blown off by the wind or
eaten by animals. Running landfill sites in this way
will cause contamination of soil, groundwater and air
by hazardous materials. Methane (CH4) is a relatively
potent greenhouse gas with a high global warming
potential. Methane in the atmosphere is oxidised to
produce carbon dioxide. The use of high calorific value
fractions from municipal solid wastes will reduce
methane gas emissions and is therefore recognised as a
means of limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the CDM Executive Board, in order
to calculate the methane emissions from solid waste
disposal sites (SWDS), the UNFCCC classified the
kind of SWDS with their associated methane correc-
tion factors (MCF).
The methane correction factor accounts for the fact
that unmanaged SWDS produce less methane from a
given amount of waste than managed SWDS, because
a larger fraction of waste decomposes aerobically in
the top layers of unmanaged SWDS.
The amount of methane that would - in the absence
available waste volumes and types of the project activity - be generated from disposal of
must be painstakingly examined. Key waste at the solid waste disposal site (BECH4, SWDS, y)
questions include: Where do they is calculated with a multi-phase model. The calculation
come from? Who currently disposes is based on a first order decay model. The model dif-
of the waste? Are there waste disposal ferentiates between the different types of waste (j) with
structures and waste disposal com- respectively different decay rates (kj) and different frac-
panies available? What costs arise tions of degradable organic carbon (DOC j).
currently for disposal/landfilling of The model calculates the methane generation based
the waste etc? on the actual waste streams (Wj,x) disposed in each
There are three groups of waste that year x, starting with the first year after the start of the
might be burned: project activity until the end of the year y, for which
a) Solid waste; baseline emissions are calculated (years x with x = 1 to
b) Liquid waste; x = y). The amount of methane produced in the year y
c) Pasty waste. (BECH4, SWDS, y) is calculated as follows:
The chemical composition of the
wastes, i.e., the content of Cl, S, Ca,
Si, Al, Fe and other heavy metals, and
their calorific values are of primary
interest for the replacement of fossil In developing countries without well managed
fuels. The calorific values should be as landfill sites, the amount of methane avoidance is es-
high as necessary for the heat input for pecially high.
the cement production process. The A cement plant which will implement only 5t of
chemical composition (Cl, S, heavy metals) must be RDF from high calorific value fractions out of munici-
compatible with the cement. The grain size must be as pal solid waste will save around 33,000t of CO2 from
small as necessary for complete burn out. methane gas avoidance on the landfill site:
For CDM projects, municipal solid wastes are avail- Emissions Reductions Calculation for RDF Usage in Cement Plants
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ALTERNATIVE FUELS
CO2 Emission
Factors of Kiln
Fuels (per lower
heating value)
Conventional fossil
fuels
coal + anthracite + [kg CO2/GJ] 96,0
waste coal
Petrol coke [kg CO2/GJ] 92,8
(Ultra) heavy fuel [kg CO2/GJ] 77,3
diesel oil [kg CO2/GJ] 74,0
natural gas [kg CO2/GJ] 56,1
shale [kg CO2/GJ] 107,0
Lignite [kg CO2/GJ] 101,0
Alternative fossil fuels Assuming a substitution rate of 5t RDF (35,000t/
waste oil [kg CO2/GJ] 74,0
tyres [kg CO2/GJ] 85,0 year) from a landfill site in a cement plant, the cement
Plastics [kg CO2/GJ] 75,0
solvents [kg CO2/GJ] 74,0
plant will save in total 70,000t CO2 emissions. Cur-
impregnated saw [kg CO2/GJ] 75,0 rent value of these emissions savings is approximately
Above: Pre-screeningdust
on
mixed industrial US$23 per CER (Certified Emission Reduction Cer-
landfill. waste
[kg CO2/GJ] 83,0
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