Solid Waste as a Supplemental Fuel for Power Plants in North Carolina

An insignificant portion of the electricity generated in North Carolina is derived from either local or renewable sources. Most of the electricity used in the state is generated either by coal or nuclear power. Both of these fuels are becoming increasingly expensive, are unrenewable, and must be imported into North Carolina. A renewable source of energy would be preferred in that future supplies of these conventional fuels are uncertain. A local fuel source would be desirable because the chance of interruption of supply by national or international political events or by adverse weather conditions would be less likely, and an energy source possessing these characteristics might result in lower costs. Municipal solid waste has been suggested as a resource that the urban areas of the state can supply which has these desirable characteristics. It is a material that is already collected by municipalities and private industries, and in the recent past the amount of municipal solid waste has tended to grow faster than the population. Also, its heating value is approximately half that of coal (5,000 or more BTU/lb for prepared solid waste versus about 11,000 BTU/lb for coal), and has been increasing as the composition of refuse changes. Although municipal solid waste is not truly a renewable resource, the majority of the materials which constitute it, such as paper, food, yard wastes, and other recoverable materials, are largely renewable