By Brett Rosenberg
December 20, 2006

Among the countless challenges public works officials face, high fuel costs and emissions from vehicles and other municipal operations rank among the highest. Fortunately, as the MWMA’s Fall Summit distinguished Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuels panelists explained, options abound to improve environmental performance while reducing costs.

Ted Michaels, President of Integrated Waste Services Association (IWSA), began by expressing that, “This is a very exciting time to be in the renewable energy business.” Michaels then provided some insights into challenges and opportunities concerning municipal waste-to-energy facilities, which produce electricity from trash, thus reducing the amount of material that goes to landfills.

For starters, he noted that the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the renewable electricity production credit for facilities that enter service through December 31, 2007. Qualifying facilities, including municipal waste-to-energy plants, are eligible to receive a one cent credit per kilowatt hour sold, over a ten year pay-out; however, as Michaels made clear, no new waste-to-energy plants have begun operating since 1995.

Moreover, according to Michaels, the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, which aims to expand consumer choices for more environmentally benign electricity, does not include waste-to-energy. One of the challenges that the industry will face during the 110th Congress is encouraging wider recognition of waste-to-energy as a viable, clean alternative to conventional power sources. As climate change policies garner wider attention and support, Michaels anticipates opportunities to convince policy makers that producing electricity from solid waste combustion can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from other sources, including landfills.

Following Michaels’ presentation, Paul Pabor, Vice President for Renewable Energy Programs at Waste Management, Inc., expanded on opportunities to capture renewable energy from landfill gas. Waste Management is currently involved in projects with 16 municipalities, co-ops and non-profit entities in which energy is created via captured landfill gas or the gas is used as feedstock for some other purpose. These projects have many advantages, including incentives for non-profits, tax credits for corporations, and expanding community relations.

In one example Pabor cited, a local paper mill was slated for closure due to high energy costs, but through a partnership with the community and landfill operator, the mill was able to buy landfill gas for power purposes at a reasonable price. The mill therefore remained open, preserving jobs and its presence in the community. As a landfill operator, Pabor said, “Our approach is to look at each site individually – if there’s a potential end-user, we’ll proceed accordingly. As far as that paper mill is concerned, you can’t get better publicity than that.”

It was clear from both Michaels’ and Pabor’s presentations that new environmental concerns and recent increases in the costs of all types of traditional energy sources have reinvigorated an often overlooked resource. Namely, trash will continue to be a viable alternative to power generation, and, therefore, a resource for municipal energy enterprises.

Brendon Daley, Deputy Commissioner of Chicago’s Energy and Air Quality Division transitioned from waste-to-energy and landfill gas to a presentation concerning fleet vehicles. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (no relation to Brandon) has vigorously worked to make Chicago “the nation’s greenest city.” Through an on-going and holistic fleet modernization program the City is able to achieve demonstrable benefits through reduced fuel use and costs, and environmental quality goals.

Updating the fleet began with trash trucks because, according to Daley, “Refuse trucks are among the best place to start because they’re in the neighborhoods every day for the people to see.” So far, four units are equipped with special filters that prevent soot emissions; 76 vehicles are equipped with “oxi-cats,” which greatly reduce soot, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions; and the remaining 370 units will be retrofitted with the oxi-cat equipment over the next year.

Other types of Chicago fleet vehicles are also getting the retrofit treatment to improve the city’s air quality. Also, the city operates hundreds of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles that operate on either natural gas or E85. The city maintains 12 fueling facilities to keep its vehicles on the road.

Although Chicago finances its fleet through several avenues, including incentives from the federal government, Tom Henderson, of Washington (DC) Department of Public Works, noted that the Department of Energy does not recognize hybrid vehicles as “alternative fuel” vehicles.