New York county begins gasification pilot project

A new research program in New York involving students from Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York, will convert one ton of trash per day into renewable energy, a report by the Watertown Daily Times says. The two-year pilot project will take place at the Massena transfer station at no cost to St. Lawrence County.

The project is a joint venture between Clarkson and One World Clean Energy Inc., an energy provider with the goal to give affordable sustainable energy to underdeveloped communities based in Louisville, Kentucky, the report says, and is expected to start operation in 2018.

The trash will be put through a gasification system that converts it into a synthetic natural gas. The gas will be used to create heat energy and electricity, the report says. One World Clean Energy will bring a modular system designed to handle 100 tons of mixed waste per day to the site. The report says the transfer station processes around 50 tons of waste per day.

Some leachate from the transfer station can also be used in the gasification system, and the byproduct created during processing can be used for soil fertilizer, the report says.

Clarkson students will operate the pilot facility with supervision from One World Clean Energy and collect data for the development and commercial stages of the project. If successful, the report says the county will consider it as a new disposal option.