Cleanly Utilize Coal
Coal plant operators told us the target criteria for our Sustainable Engineered Fuel, and we’ve created a fuel that meets or exceeds those expectations:
- Consistent performance for efficient fuel use
SE3™ has been through multiple third-party tests and has proven its fuel characteristics are even more consistent than coal. It has a 16-year production history and is competitive with most types of coal on a Cost/MMBTU basis. - High Energy for combustion compatibility
At 9,000 BTU per pound, SE3™ delivers energy similar to coal, and twice the calorific value of most other refuse derived fuels (RDF). - Clean fuel for the environment and employees
The EPA’s certification of SE3™ as a Non-Waste fuel, and as a Non-Hazardous Secondary Material (NHSM) removes both the stigma and operational problems associated with incineration and minimizes transport and handling regulations. Because the fuel is sterile, it is safe to handle and has a shelf-life measured in years. SE3™ also meets meet European Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) standards.
Use with Existing Equipment
Protecting the integrity of existing operating equipment is paramount in the eyes of facility managers, and our SE3™ Fuel has been repeatedly tested to make sure that criteria is met.
It works well in existing coal-fired equipment and is compatible with modern feed systems. Dry storage and handling is the primary requirement needed.
Furthermore, customers have the option to “dial in” our process. They can order a highly stable and versatile final fuel material that resembles blown in insulation, or specify various sizes of pellets that will hold up well to storage and transport. Moisture content can be specified for the operation at hand, and our processing line can be set to include or exclude various types of plastics by deploying thoroughly proven technologies.
Fuel and operations professionals also are charged with meeting budgets and financial performance targets. WastAway’s long-term contracts for MSW, as well as 16 years of commercial O&M experience, remove the risks often found with fossil fuel replacement commodities markets.
Complies with America’s EPA and EU’s SRF Standards
In early 2019, The Environmental Protection Agency issued a comfort letter stating that it considered WastAway’s SE3™ as a “non-waste fuel.” This important regulatory designation provides users assurance that they will not be required to follow stringent rules which accompany use of a waste fuel and combusting the fuel will not be considered a form of incineration.
This Non Hazardous Secondary Material (NHSM) concurrence letter followed testing and reporting due diligence by one of the nation’s top environmental testing laboratories, Koogler and Associates. It means that the original waste has been processed in accordance with standards that mitigate the downside attributes of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), and both emissions and residue testing meet Federal criteria.
SE3™ users now have assurance that they can augment coal combustion in a very sustainable manner, reducing GHG production and their carbon footprint.
Excerpts from the EPA Comfort Letter:
“…we believe that your operations…will transform waste into a processed, non-waste fuel appropriate for use in units designed to combust coal and wood or biomass.”
“Overall, based on this contaminant-to-contaminant comparison, all contaminants in the SE3™ are comparable to or lower than those contaminants in coal or wood/biomass.”
Tested for Coal Power Generation
Real-world test results show that SE3™ performs very well when co-fired with pulverized coal, and the fuel has been proven “a technically acceptable method of reducing overall CO2 emissions from coal with manageable operational impacts.”
The 430 MW commercial test burn showed minimal adverse effects to the plant’s:
- Heat rate
- Performance
- Fly ash content
- Stack emissions
Contact WastAway for more detailed information about this extensive combustion test utilizing SE3™ at a Canadian power generation plant.
Analysis Results Overview
A primary benefit SE3™ users should consider: Replacing 21% of coal with this sustainable fuel will reduce greenhouse gas emissions to EPA’s AVERT (AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool) levels called for in current Clean Air Act plans.
Other important analysis highlights include:
- No increase in mercury emissions by adding SE3™
- Landfill diversion and coal displacement calculations result in measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
- Minimal adverse impacts were observed to heat rate, system performance, fly ashcontent or stack emissions
- Reduced NOx, SOx and CO2 in lab analysis when introduced with coal at 8% of total heating value
- In generation testing, no obvious impacts were found on emissions of furans and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- No appreciable increases were found in ash fusion temperature, and there were no expectations of increase in slagging
Sustainability Benefits
Combining SE3™ with coal delivers real and measurable benefits to both the user and the environment.
- Provides Renewable Energy Credits through reduction of CO2, and the reduction of methane achieved in landfill diversion
- Reduces Greenhouse Gas emissions by 1.7 tons for every ton of fuel produced
- Helps companies and communities reach Zero Waste goals by diverting up to 90% of garbage away from landfills and recycling valuable metals
- Can achieve EPA AVERT levels when substituting 21% of coal with SE3™