Municipal Green & Food
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| ANAEROBIC PHASED SOLIDS (APS) DIGESTER SYSTEMS |
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Collected Green and Food Waste
Recent California legislation requiring the diversion of 50% of food and green wastes from landfills creates additional
opportunities and incentives for using biomass waste as a feedstock for digesters. Converting these wastes into
bioenergy and other valuable products creates both environmental and economic benefits to the digester owner and
the community
California has a program sending collected green waste to composting, yet 6.7 million dry tons (22 million wet tons) of
organic wastes still are annually land filled. Analysis of this collected green and food waste market in California alone
revealed an untapped potential exceeding annual revenues of over $530 million in the production of biofuels from
organic waste streams derived from a market value of $1.80 per equivalent gallon of gasoline. The APS-digestion
process will beneficially convert these 6.7 million dry tons of wastes into more than 300 million equivalent gallons of
gasoline in compressed bio-hydrogen and bio-methane vehicular fuel.
These biofuels will run internal combustion engines and reduce the state’s heavy reliance on petrochemical fuels such
as natural gas, propane, diesel and gasoline. These market potential figures do not take into account the
undocumented amount of green and food waste sent to composting and agricultural land spreading that could
substantially increase this market value if converted to fuel.
Avoiding the landfill tipping fees (currently $25-70 per wet ton in California) charged for disposing of most food and
green wastes will greatly enhance the economics of APS-digestion.
The APS digester system offers an immediate way to reduce landfill by using the green waste as its feedstock. In
many cases, the avoided disposal costs will provide the financial payback to justify the installation of a system.
OPS created an economic model of several different digester sizes. The model indicates that a system processing 35
dry tons (~125 wet tons) per day of municipal green and agricultural waste offers relatively quick recovery of the initial
capital investment. This size will meet the needs of many small to medium-sized communities facing increased waste
disposal costs, as well as meeting the stricter regulations and restrictions.
Based upon the amount of organic materials identified by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, there is
a market potential for 677 APS digester facilities capable of processing at least 35 dry tons per day – certainly a
significant business potential for OPS.
Municipal Solid Waste
A process involving pre-separation of simple organic waste from more complex general waste including inorganic
materials. The separation parameters can be designed for optimization of facility costs. Perhaps 30% of a municipal
waste stream can be processed through a Digester. There are technologies, such as rotating drum reactors, which
have been used for over thirty years. A trommel screen after the rotary drum provides a basic separation of waste
streams. Opportunities in the municipal solid waste segment either require displacement of incumbents or
expansions. In either case, the sales lead times are long and OPS will only participate in this segment selectively.
Recent California legislation requiring the diversion of 50% of food and green wastes from landfills creates additional
opportunities and incentives for using biomass waste as a feedstock for digesters. Converting these wastes into
bioenergy and other valuable products creates both environmental and economic benefits to the digester owner and
the community
California has a program sending collected green waste to composting, yet 6.7 million dry tons (22 million wet tons) of
organic wastes still are annually land filled. Analysis of this collected green and food waste market in California alone
revealed an untapped potential exceeding annual revenues of over $530 million in the production of biofuels from
organic waste streams derived from a market value of $1.80 per equivalent gallon of gasoline. The APS-digestion
process will beneficially convert these 6.7 million dry tons of wastes into more than 300 million equivalent gallons of
gasoline in compressed bio-hydrogen and bio-methane vehicular fuel.
These biofuels will run internal combustion engines and reduce the state’s heavy reliance on petrochemical fuels such
as natural gas, propane, diesel and gasoline. These market potential figures do not take into account the
undocumented amount of green and food waste sent to composting and agricultural land spreading that could
substantially increase this market value if converted to fuel.
Avoiding the landfill tipping fees (currently $25-70 per wet ton in California) charged for disposing of most food and
green wastes will greatly enhance the economics of APS-digestion.
The APS digester system offers an immediate way to reduce landfill by using the green waste as its feedstock. In
many cases, the avoided disposal costs will provide the financial payback to justify the installation of a system.
OPS created an economic model of several different digester sizes. The model indicates that a system processing 35
dry tons (~125 wet tons) per day of municipal green and agricultural waste offers relatively quick recovery of the initial
capital investment. This size will meet the needs of many small to medium-sized communities facing increased waste
disposal costs, as well as meeting the stricter regulations and restrictions.
Based upon the amount of organic materials identified by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, there is
a market potential for 677 APS digester facilities capable of processing at least 35 dry tons per day – certainly a
significant business potential for OPS.
Municipal Solid Waste
A process involving pre-separation of simple organic waste from more complex general waste including inorganic
materials. The separation parameters can be designed for optimization of facility costs. Perhaps 30% of a municipal
waste stream can be processed through a Digester. There are technologies, such as rotating drum reactors, which
have been used for over thirty years. A trommel screen after the rotary drum provides a basic separation of waste
streams. Opportunities in the municipal solid waste segment either require displacement of incumbents or
expansions. In either case, the sales lead times are long and OPS will only participate in this segment selectively.