The Government of Grenada (GoG) through the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority (GSWMA) invites submissions of expression of interest to establish a waste-to-energy facility on the island of Grenada. GSWMA is responsible for the collection of domestic solid waste throughout Grenada. A 2009 study that examined options for waste disposal, among other things in Grenada, gave support to a waste-to-energy thrust. Interested parties may consider and submit any appropriate technology and any commercial arrangement within the confines of existing policy and legislation. The venture will include researching, sourcing, construction, installation and commissioning of a suitable and appropriate waste to energy technology in Grenada as a means of effectively dealing with applicable fractions of the municipal solid waste stream. The GoG wishes to have an operational waste to energy facility by the fourth quarter of 2015 and intends to choose a suitable waste to energy partner by the third quarter of 2012. For more information on how to submit an expression of interest, please visit: http://www.gswma.com/download/IEOI_Grenada.pdf.

The Arizona Corporation Commission this week approved Mohave Electric Cooperative's request to count the electricity from a waste-to-energy facility toward its renewable-energy goals. The commission requires utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025 and to additionally reduce their power demand by 22 percent by 2020 through conservation. Mohave, a tiny, non-profit distribution utility in northwestern Arizona, asked for the waiver to make electricity from trash because that type of unit was not initially included in the Commission's program.  The commission voted 3-2 in favor of Mohave's request.

The Durham Region (Ontario, Canada) has been given the green light by the province to begin construction of its waste-to-energy facility. Council approval is still required before construction starts on the energy-from-waste facility that will handle up to 140,000 tons of Durham and York Region garbage per year. That’s likely to happen at a special meeting in July, after councillors review staff reports and conditions attached to the certificate of approval just issued by the Ministry of the Environment. It covers operational requirements for air, noise, waste and storm water. Calling the ministry’s decision on the waste-to-energy facility “historic,” regional chair Roger Anderson said Durham is poised to become a “provincial leader in the area of waste management.” Residents expect a clean and safe facility, “and that’s how we intend to build it,” he said. Roger Anderson was a keynote speaker at NAWTEC this year in Lancaster. Covanta, which will build and operate the facility, is expected to begin construction this fall.

Green Conversion Systems (GCS), an ERC member, announced this week that the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works has voted unanimously to authorize the Bureau of Sanitation to commence contract negotiations with GCS to build and operate a new waste-to-energy facility. This selection concludes an extensive four-year technology evaluation process undertaken by the Bureau of Sanitation. During the evaluation process, the City reviewed proposals from 13 vendors offering a variety of solutions, including alternative technologies such as pyrolysis, gasification, plasma arc, anaerobic. The facility will use GCS’ Advanced Thermal Recycling (ATR) system to process nearly 1,100 tons per day of post-recycled residential following pre-processing. During pre-processing, all waste entering the facility is sorted to remove recyclable materials such as plastics, metals and paper. The non-recyclable waste is then sent to the ATR system, which converts 99% of it into electricity and marketable byproducts.

The 20th Annual North American Waste-to-Energy Conference will take place on April 23-25, 2012 in Portland, Maine. For the first time, NAWTEC participants will have the opportunity to tour the facilities of ecomaine, an ERC member based in Portland, Maine. ecomaine is a non-profit waste management company owned and operated by 21 municipalities in Southern Maine and runs a 500 ton-per-day waste-to-energy facility, a single stream recycling facility, and a landfill. The waste-to-energy facility won SWANA’s 2006 Waste-To-Energy Silver Excellence Award, as well as ASME’s 2009 Small Combustion Facility of the Year Award. The award was based on success in several categories, including innovative and technical contributions to solid waste processing, environmental performance, and health and safety records. We look forward to hosting NAWTEC in Portland for the first time next year.