Monthly Archives: November 2022

Practical Utilization Of Bitcoins In The Modern World

  By | |
1 Comment

The topic that has been the most talked-about one from 2009 is bitcoin. The creation of bitcoin is an evolution for the economic society. Satoshi Nakamoto did the most surprising thing by creating an entire payment network with its native currency that is completely digital. The creation seemed to be unrealistic first time to many people. They couldn’t understand the real utilization of this type of money. It is actually because people are not used to virtual money. They have been using physical cash for a long time, and the system is well-organized. For more detail : https://bitcoinsup.pl

bitcoin

However, as time passed, the bitcoin network kept spreading, and more and more people came in contact with it. As a result, its value is increasing too, and naturally, it has emerged with so many sectors of society. Today, very few people can doubt bitcoin’s real utilization. The whole world is running after this amazing technology that seemed meaningless to many at first.

Here are the aspects and the ways in which bitcoin is being used in modern economic society. Read further to them in detail.

1. Bitcoin trading

Bitcoin is mostly used in trading nowadays. Bitcoin trading means investing your money in bitcoin for a short period in order to make some money out of it. It is almost similar to stock trading. You just have to register yourself with cryptocurrency trading websites or applications and follow their trading process.

The market here is very much volatile. It ups and downs unpredictably, even multiple times in a day. It is a risk factor when investing your hard-earned money here. But, traders utilize this factor of the bitcoin market positively. They are taking very quick strategies like day trading and intra-day trading and making small but multiple profits.

2. Bitcoin investment

Another utilization of bitcoin is investing your money in it to gain more bitcoin or more money. People started first using bitcoin that way after 2009, when bitcoin started gaining value, many people invested in it for a long time. In 2021 when the value of bitcoin reached its highest, over $65,000, the early investors earned a lot from it. It is a proven profitable utilisation, so it is and will continue.

3. Buy products and services

The real-life utilization of bitcoin that we can understand clearly is paying them to buy products or services from businesses. Many big and renowned companies like Overstock.com, Starbucks, Visa, Mastercard, Amazon, MicroStrategy, and a lot more accept bitcoin payments from their customers in exchange for their products and services.

4. Used in banks

Some traditionally renowned banks also accept bitcoin from their customers. Some are offering bitcoins to their high-end customers. This practice assures bitcoin’s continuous utilization as a successful currency in the future.

5. As dividends

Some companies are using bitcoin to offer their customers dividends. When you are about to get some dividends from a company whose stocks you have invested in, you might get it in bitcoins.

6. Lending

Now, you can also lend bitcoins to someone in need of immediate bitcoin or another form of money. Companies like Bitbond, Unchained Capital, BTCpop, etc., are providing this service.

7. Used as a tipping currency

You might have seen the practice online to promote some company’s products, stream video games, find suitable clothes for someone, or provide answers to technical questions, and by doing so, people get tips from them. This tipping is provided in bitcoin too.

Reasons Why Popularity Of Bitcoin Is Getting On Its Peak

8. Used in playing games

Bitcoin is also used to pay people for playing games. Some Blockchain-based video games like Bitcoin Alien Run and Sparkprofit are offered for people to play and get paid in bitcoin tha,t helps the companies to run their business indirectly.

Conclusion

These are some real-life utilization of bitcoin. The way bitcoin is growing in the world and more and more people are accepting it, in the future, it is bound to be used more as digital money as per the predictors. So, if you are concerned about the future and want to have and use bitcoin, you can start accumulating some. There are some helpful bitcoin trading websites that you can check to buy bitcoin.

Solid Waste Management in Nigeria

  By | | ,
29 Comments

Solid waste management is the most pressing environmental challenge faced by urban and rural areas of Nigeria. Nigeria, with population exceeding 170 million, is one of the largest producers of solid waste in Africa. Despite a host of policies and regulations, solid waste management in the country is assuming alarming proportions with each passing day.

waste-nigeria

Nigeria generates more than 32 million tons of solid waste annually, out of which only 20-30% is collected. Reckless disposal of MSW has led to blockage of sewers and drainage networks, and choking of water bodies. Most of the wastes is generated by households and in some cases, by local industries, artisans and traders which litters the immediate surroundings.

Improper collection and disposal of municipal wastes is leading to an environmental catastrophe as the country currently lack adequate budgetary provisions for the implementation of integrated waste management programmes across the States.

According to the United Nations Habitat Watch, African city populations will more than triple over the next 40 years. African cities are already inundated with slums; a phenomenon that could triple urban populations and spell disaster, unless urgent actions are initiated. Out of the 36 states and a federal capital in the country, only a few have shown a considerable level of resolve to take proactive steps in fighting this scourge, while the rest have merely paid lip services to issues of waste management indicating a huge lack of interest to develop the waste sector.

Scenario in Lagos

Lagos State, the commercial hub of Nigeria, is the second fastest growing city in Africa and seventh in the world.  The latest reports estimate its population to be more than 21 million making it the largest city in entire Africa.  With per capita waste generation of 0.5 kg per day, the city generates more than 10,000 tons of urban waste every day.

Despite being a model for other states in the country, municipal waste management is a big challenge for the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) to manage alone, hence the need to engage the services of private waste firms and other franchisee to reduce the burden of waste collection and disposal. One fundamental issue is the delayed collection of household solid waste.  In some cases, the wastes are not collected until after a week or two, consequently, the waste bin overflows and litters the surroundings.

Improper garbage disposal and lack of reliable transport infrastructure means that collected wastes are soon dispersed to other localities. Another unwelcome practice is to overload collection trucks with 5-6 tons of waste to reduce the number of trips; this has necessitated calls by environmental activist to prevail on the relevant legislature to conform to the modern waste transportation standard.

Situation in Oyo

Away from Lagos State, Oyo is another ancient town in Nigeria with an estimated population of six million people. Here, solid waste is regulated by the Oyo State Solid Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA). Unlike Lagos State, Oyo State does not have a proper waste management scheme that cuts across the nooks and crannies of the state, apart from Ibadan, the capital city, people from other towns like Ogbomoso and Iseyin resort to waste burning. In case the waste generators feels that the amount being charged by the waste franchisee is beyond their means, they dump the waste along flood paths thus compounding the waste predicament.

Burning of municipal wastes is a common practice in Nigeria

Burning of municipal wastes is a common practice in Nigeria

Kano and Rivers State with its fair share of population also suffers similar fate in controlling and managing solid waste. Generally speaking, population increase in Nigeria has led to an unprecedented growth in its economy but with a devastating effect on the environment as more wastes are generated due to the need for housing, manufacturing industries and a boost in trade volume.

Future Perspectives

The government at the federal level as a matter of urgency needs to revive its regulatory framework that will be attractive for private sectors to invest in waste collection, recycling and reusing.  The environmental health officer’s registration council of Nigeria would do well to intensify more effort to monitor and enforce sanitation laws as well as regulate the activities of the franchisees on good sustainable practices.

Taking the advocacy further on waste management, to avoid littering the environment, some manufacturing companies (e.g. chemical and paint industry) have introduced a recall process that will reward individuals who returns empty/used plastic containers. This cash incentive has been proven over time to validate the waste to wealth program embarked upon by the manufacturing companies. It is also expected that the government will build more composting and recycling plants in addition to the ones in Ekiti and Kano State to ensure good sustainable waste management.

Waste management situation in Nigeria currently requires concerted effort to sensitize the general public on the need for proper disposal of solid waste. Also, the officials should be well trained on professionalism, service delivery and ensure that other states within the country have access to quality waste managers who are within reach and can assist on the best approach to managing their waste before collection.

Why Do We Need Solid Waste Management?

  By | | ,
20 Comments

Some countries have achieved considerable success in solid waste management. But the rest of the world is grappling to deal with its wastes. In these places, improper management of solid waste continues to impact public health of entire communities and cities; pollute local water, air and land resources; contribute to climate change and ocean plastic pollution; hinder climate change adaptation; and accelerate depletion of forests and mines.

Garbage_Bangalore

Compared to solid waste management, we can consider that the world has achieved significant success in providing other basic necessities like food, drinking water, energy and economic opportunities. Managing solid wastes properly can help improve the above services further.

Composting of organic waste can help nurture crops and result in a better agricultural yield. Reducing landfilling and building sanitary landfills will reduce ground and surface water pollution which can help provide cleaner drinking water. Energy recovery from non-recyclable wastes can satiate significant portion of a city’s energy requirement.

Inclusive waste management where informal waste recyclers are involved can provide an enormous economic opportunity to the marginalized urban poor. Additionally, a good solid waste management plan with cost recovery mechanisms can free tax payers money for other issues. In the case of India, sustainable solid waste management in 2011 would have provided

  • 9.6 million tons of compost that could have resulted in a better agricultural yield
  • energy equivalent to 58 million barrels of oil from non-recyclable wastes
  • 6.7 million tons of secondary raw materials to industries in the form of recyclable materials and livelihood to the urban poor

Solid waste management until now has only been a social responsibility of the corporate world or one of the services to be provided by the municipality and a non-priority for national governments. However, in Mumbai, the improperly managed wastes generate 22,000 tons of toxic pollutants like particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrous and sulfur oxides in addition to 10,000 grams of carcinogenic dioxins and furans every year. These numbers are only for the city of Mumbai. This is the case in cities all across the developing world. There are numerous examples where groundwater is polluted by heavy metals and organic contaminants due to solid waste landfills.

Solid waste management expenditure of above $ 1 billion per year competes with education, poverty, security and other sustainable initiatives in New York City. Fossil fuels for above 500,000 truck trips covering hundreds of miles are required to transport NYC’s waste to landfills outside the city and state. Similarly, New Delhi spends more than half of its entire municipal budget on solid waste management, while it is desperate for investments and maintenance of roads, buildings, and other infrastructure.

Solid waste management is not just a corporate social responsibility or a non-priority service anymore. Improper waste management is a public health and environmental crisis, economic loss, operational inefficiency and political and public awareness failure. Integrated solid waste management can be a nation building exercise for healthier and wealthier communities. Therefore, it needs global attention to arrive at solutions which span across such a wide range of issues.

Recommended Reading: The Problems with Solid Waste Recycling Plants

Stellar Lumens Explained

  By | | ,
1 Comment

The cryptocurrency industry has been enjoying a rather strong start to 2021. Many cryptocurrencies have been getting a lot of attention not only as investment options but for their many uses as well. More people are becoming interested and involved in this field, which is only helping these crypto assets and platforms grow.

One coin in particular that has people excited is Stellar and its built-in token, Lumens. Stellar Lumens (XLM) is currently within the top 10 cryptocurrencies in terms of market cap. It is aimed at being a borderless open network for storing and sending money.

xlm

This article is going to look a little closer at Stellar Lumens, as well as go over its history and future outlook. So read on to learn a little bit more about what makes it one of the most exciting networks and platforms in the industry.

What are Stellar and Lumens?

As mentioned, Stellar was created as a network for people and financial institutions all over the world with the purpose of sending money easily, quickly, and affordably. It allows you to send a variety of different currencies, both fiat and crypto, in a way that is more reliable than traditional methods.

The benefits of Stellar include cryptocurrency transactions that take seconds, low transaction costs when compared to wire transfers, and the fact that it is incredibly easy to access and exchange different currencies. Stellar is also secure as the network has never experienced a hack, despite being in an industry that is so frequently targeted.

The network runs on decentralized servers and relies on their built-in token called Lumens to operate. They can easily be purchased on many exchanges. If you wish to convert other crypto you own to Lumens, you can use specialized services, like this eth to xlm converter by Godex. You can exchange numerous coins including Stellar Lumen, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, and many others.

Lumens not only assist with multi-currency transactions but also act as a spam deterrent. Stellar requires that every account hold some Lumens at all times. It is done to prevent the ledger from being overrun with spam or making it too easy to use the ledger. The amount required is minuscule, just enough to deter large amounts of spam. In addition to this, Lumens are also used to pay transaction fees.

The History of Stellar Lumens

Stellar began in 2014 and was co-founded by Jed McCaleb, who is no stranger to the industry. He was also the co-founder of Ripple, which is actually among the biggest competitors to Stellar. Stellar was brought into the world to assist in making cross-border payments more efficient.

These payments have traditionally been incredibly expensive and taken a very long time to complete. Economic experts preach about the importance of easy access to financial services. But, unfortunately, many around the world don’t have access to banks and other institutions.

Since 2014, Stellar has partnered with several companies and platforms to service people all over the world. While the growth has been impressive, there is still a lot of progress to be made.

The advisory team behind Stellar is also impressive and one of the reasons why people are optimistic about its future. Some members of the board are the founder of AngelList, the founder of WordPress, and the CEO of Stripe, who is one of the youngest billionaires on the planet. With a team like this on the board, Stellar has some of the brightest minds in tech behind it.

There is also the Stellar Development Foundation. Its main goal is to increase awareness around the existence of Stellar. It also ensures the interface and platform are user-friendly, simple, and affordable for people all over the world to send and receive money.

Future Outlook and Performance of Stellar Lumens

So what does the future hold for Stellar Lumens? Well, we believe it will only continue to get more popular. The services they offer (and their benefits) are easy to understand, and the problem they set out to solve is a big one for millions all over the world. As they continue to build out their system and reputation and increase their partnerships, many believe Stellar Lumens could be the future of borderless payments.

In addition to their practical use cases, Lumens can also act as an investment, like many other cryptocurrencies. Expert opinion is mixed. However, many believe that the cryptocurrency should only increase in value. The reason is the increased usage and understanding across the world. Like many other assets, the performance of Lumens is also tied to Bitcoin and the crypto market as a whole.

In conclusion, we hope that this article has been able to help you learn more about Stellar Lumens. They are an exciting cryptocurrency and platform, and one that is sure to help people transfer funds all over the world.

4 Ways To Pay Your Electricity Bill Effortlessly

  By | | , , ,
20 Comments

Utilities like water and power can end up costing nearly as much as your rent or house payment in a bad month. Unfortunately, you can’t cut off your water service to save money the way you could cut the cable. Here are a few tips to tame your utility bills and make it easier to pay your electricity bill with ease.

1. Clean Up

Cleaning the coils on your refrigerator helps it work more efficiently. Cleaning the coils on your air conditioner can do the same, but your AC uses far more power than your fridge. Remove any debris from the air intakes, whether it is leaving piles up by the AC or the air vent to your furnace. Rinse the air filters for your room air filters, the air conditioner, and your dehumidifier.

2. Turn It Off

While the appliances that are sleeping may use less energy than when on, the reality is that they use almost as much power in standby as they do when active. The solution is to turn things off. Unless your game station is downloading updates, unplug it to save power. Turn off the TV instead of letting it sit in standby, or worse, use it as background noise.

When gadgets are fully charged, disconnect them from the charging station and turn off the charging station. If you can’t stand to turn off your computer, turn off the monitor instead. Turn off lights when they aren’t in use, and consider when you can utilize natural light instead. Don’t let appliances idly run while you’re busy. Get the clothes out of the dryer instead of letting it run every five minutes to prevent clothes from wrinkling.

Turn off the oven when you’re done with it. The same might be said for your pool pump or air filters. Does it need to be running? If not, consider turning it off for a while. Always aim to improve your habits and to acquire energy-saver appliances. Also, consider that you are still allowed to hire a better energy provider in case the current one is not the best fit regarding your lifestyle. For instance, there are plenty of options when it comes to the most suitable electric companies in dallas.

3. Track Energy Usage

You can get apps that report energy usage in your home. These apps can tap into your smart meter and tell you which appliances are consuming the most energy. If you can’t cut back on energy usage, you could get advice on how to shift energy usage in order to reduce your electric bill.

For example, running the clothes dryer at night may allow you to get utility discounts. One of the advantages of hydroelectric energy is that despite facing daily and seasonal variations, utility companies will still provide discounts when the demand for power is lower.

Set up the dishwasher to run a heavy load when you go to bed, and the cost per kilowatt maybe a third of what you’d pay if it ran during the day. You may also find that the AC is running heavily during the hottest part of the day.

Could you alter the thermal profile of your home so that it uses less energy while keeping you comfortable, such as not trying to keep the house at 65 when you’re at work? If you cannot get the house comfortable without the AC running full blast all the time, you may need to have the air conditioner repaired or replaced with a more powerful unit.

4. Check for Leaks

If you’ve ever heard the joke that you’re not heating the neighborhood, recognize that there is an element of truth to that joke. When you leave the door open while you’re bringing in groceries or getting the mail, you’re wasting the energy used to heat or cool that air. Gaps in your window frame and window stripping cost you the same way.

Leaks in your hot water heater waste both water and the energy used to heat it. Look for water leaks when you suspect them, too. Not only does this damage the structure of your home and wastewater, but damp insulation has a fraction of the thermal value of dry insulation. This is how a water leak could be contributing to your higher energy bills.

There are a number of things you can do to reduce your energy bills and water bills without radically changing your lifestyle. Then you’ll be able to save the Earth’s resources and money at the same time. It is truly a win-win for everyone.

Sharing Economy: Why This is Growing in Popularity and Benefits All

  By | | ,
1 Comment

If you haven’t heard of the sharing economy, I bet you will want to get involved after reading this. The sharing economy is a growing trend around the world. It’s based on the idea that there are many things we don’t use every day or even every week, and by sharing them with other people, we can reduce our costs while giving others access to items they might not otherwise have. In this article, I will explain the benefits and some examples of how you can use the sharing economy to make your life easier and reduce costs.

benefits of sharing economy

Some popular sharing economy examples

There are many sharing economy examples, but some of the most popular ones are:

1. Airbnb

If you’ve heard of Airbnb, then you know that it’s a website that allows people to rent out their homes for stays in other parts of the world. The idea behind Airbnb is that people worldwide have unused space in their homes, which they can use to earn money. In addition to providing travelers with affordable accommodations, Airbnb also gives homeowners in different countries opportunities to meet and learn from one another.

2. Uber

Uber, a ride-sharing app, was founded in 2009. It’s available in over 800 cities in 65 countries and 450 in the United States. Uber is also available in over 100 cities in Canada and 50 cities in Mexico. What makes Uber different from other ride-sharing apps like Lyft or Sidecar is that you can request a car using the app on your smartphone, which will be sent to pick you up by one of their drivers. In addition, you can pay for your ride through the app using either cash or a credit card once you arrive at your destination.

3. Shared parking

This is a great way to save money on parking. It’s a good option for people who live in cities and don’t have cars, but it can also work well for people who own cars and want to find more affordable long-term parking options. Here’s how shared parking works: You sign up with an app, and you use your app to find out which spots are available at a lot near you (lots offer different rates depending on the location). When you see one that fits your needs, you reserve it with your app and pay through the app. Then when you get there, swipe your card at the gate and go park!

4. Car-sharing

Car sharing is a great way to save money on car ownership. With the help of an app, you can rent a car by the hour, day or week—and you don’t even need to leave your apartment. Simply download a car-sharing app such as Zipcar or Car2Go and search for vehicles near your location. You’ll find cars in most big cities across North America and Europe. Multiple companies operate these programs, so they offer different models (sedans, SUVs) at different prices depending on how often you want to use them and how long you drive them each time.

If you are looking to reduce costs further, you can search for parking over a longer term. Daily parking is often much more expensive than booking monthly. For example, in Philadelphia monthly parking options are available from $100, whereas daily rates start at $2 an hour, so if you travel five days a week and park for 8 hours a day, that is a massive saving of around $220 a month.

What is the sharing economy?

The sharing economy is a model where individuals can rent or borrow assets owned by another person. It involves the sharing of things and services, not the ownership of them.

For example, Uber allows you to get a ride from someone driving their car as long as that person has been vetted by the company and passed a background check. It’s not about renting a car from Uber; it’s about meeting your transportation needs through a driver you trust. That’s what makes this model so appealing: By using services such as TaskRabbit (a website where people can find local help), Airbnb (where you can rent out your apartment when you’re out of town), or YouBike (which allows users to use bicycles for short trips around cities in China), customers can meet their needs without buying new items themselves. This means less waste and more sustainability!

What are the benefits of the sharing economy?

There are several benefits to the sharing economy, which include:

  • Reduced cost – You can save money on groceries and clothing by sharing an item rather than purchasing it yourself.
  • Reduced waste – Sharing items means less waste from unused or unwanted products thrown away yearly. In America alone, that is about $160 billion worth.
  • You have increased community engagement and trust.
  • Increased employment opportunities (especially in rural areas). Encouraging people who otherwise wouldn’t work outside their homes to get out there again help create jobs while also reducing stress levels overall within society at large!

How can I get involved with the sharing economy?

It can be a bit overwhelming if you’re new to the sharing economy. However, there are so many different ways you can get involved!

  • Share your resources – If you have extra space in your home, rent them on Airbnb or Turo. You could also rent out unused tools and furniture through websites like RentYourTools or Peerby. Renting out your parking space is another way to share resources.
  • Share others’ resources. By connecting people who need specific items with those who have them, services like SwapThing let users save money while reducing waste—a win-win! For example: If someone has an old phone but needs a new one, they can post an ad for their old smartphone; someone who needs a new device will then contact the original owner with details about how much they’d be willing to pay for it (or vice versa). This type of exchange might seem odd at first glance, but it actually makes a lot of sense when both parties benefit from finding each other instead of purchasing brand-new goods that go straight into landfills after only being used once or twice!
  • Share time/skills/knowledge/skills: Use sites like TaskRabbit where people post jobs that need doing around their house (elderly care – cleaning – gardening) etc., along with what they’d pay per hour/day etc. Then all interested parties bid on those jobs until someone gets hired…and paid accordingly!

Conclusion

I am excited to be part of a movement changing how we think about ownership. Sharing resources, we help save money, build community, reduce waste (of course), and build trust. I hope this list has inspired you to start thinking differently about your possessions—and maybe even try out some new ones!

How is Web 3 Bringing the Greatest User Experience?

  By | | ,
Leave a comment

The fact that web 3 has made this much stride in the digital world and the fact that it has already been acknowledged by multiple channels, it suggests that it carries a substantial weight to it. The semantically useful and rich content that we know about in this digital ecosystem and the way we have been able to track the movement of such digital experience; is indeed helpful for us to stick to the hype that exists around web 3. For more info Open account

web3 and user experience

Opening all kinds of speculative positions in the market and being able to navigate through such fluctuations in the crypto industry is all that crypto trading takes. All the buying and selling of digital tokens in the market and digital cash that is currently being talked about the most are just different facets of the same industry.

People invest in cryptocurrencies through prominent cryptocurrency exchanges that they hear about, and it is technically the right way to do that as well. In addition to this, the growth of digital assets that we know of in real-time is also a substantial achievement in the digital world which used to be considered taboo when it launched initially. Hence, it is one of the greatest ways that a user can employ to diversify his investment portfolio in the digital market.

The overall trading portfolio gets a significant boost from the digital market when the users know how to employ the decision-making attribute at the right time. Now, that comes with the help of using some established platforms like the Bitcoin trading platform, which is an exclusive platform that shapes and rejuvenates your digital journey in and out. Receiving reliable trading suggestions through a platform like this is a win-win situation that cannot be compromised with anything.

You will also be required to adopt a significant strategy to uncover the best results from the market, which can serve as a long-term achievement. The acquisition of digital assets also begins to bring so much attention to your digital portfolio when you learn how to use such assets meaningfully in the digital market.

The digital journey

All the users that are currently digitally active look forward to semantically useful as well as rich content, which will soon be provided by Web 3 in real-time. Now, we also have to know that such a digital trend in the market will continue to unleash the same level of technologies that can be tracked further in the digital segment as well. Therefore, we have to understand the necessity of the digital market, and the limitations must not be ignored either.

Today, we have much to work on and much to follow in the current internet world, and web 3 is going to bring all that to the surface. You will also be able to create your own version of content and share it across the whole digital space, which is being looked at as the greatest digital advancement in real-time. Now, having mentioned this attribute in the digital scenario, we can understand the fact that there is going to be high intensity in the digital scenario, and it is going to bring a new digital definition in the digital market as well.

The content strategy

The overall content is going to be more structured and well organized, which was quite difficult to navigate through in the digital market as well. Understanding the digital necessity of the market and observing such trends in the digital markets is also important to know that we have indeed come a long way from being limited to the digital search that could not be refined further in the digital market.

Navigating through most of the specific information in the worldwide content and knowing that such a scenario can be tracked further in the market, it is important to know that we have to keep observing that level of the market to a great extent. Generating a new form of digital content is also well worth it, and that can be tracked quite significantly in the market down the line, which is a great attribute to be mindful of. New content always inspires the users, and that is technically the building block of the digital scenario as well.

Trends in Waste-to-Energy Industry

  By | | ,
5 Comments

The increasing clamor for energy and satisfying it with a combination of conventional and renewable resources is a big challenge. Accompanying energy problems in almost all parts of the world, another problem that is assuming critical proportions is that of urban waste accumulation. The quantity of waste produced all over the world amounted to more than 12 billion tonnes in 2006, with estimates of up to 13 billion tonnes in 2011. The rapid increase in population coupled with changing lifestyle and consumption patterns is expected to result in an exponential increase in waste generation of up to 18 billion tonnes by year 2020. Ironically, most of the wastes are disposed of in open fields, along highways or burnt wantonly.

Waste-to-Energy-Industry

Size of the Industry

Around 130 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) are combusted annually in over 600 waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities globally that produce electricity and steam for district heating and recovered metals for recycling. The global market for biological and thermochemical waste-to-energy technologies is expected to grow to USD 29.2 billion by 2022. Incineration, with energy recovery, is the most common waste-to-energy method employed worldwide.

Since 1995, the global WTE industry increased by more than 16 million tonnes of MSW. Over the last five years, waste incineration in Europe has generated between an average of 4% to 8% of their countries’ electricity and between an average of 10% to 15% of the continent’s domestic heat.

Advanced thermal technologies, like gasification and pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion systems are beginning to make deep inroads in the waste-to-energy sector and are expected to increase their respective market shares on account of global interest in integrated waste management framework in urban areas. Scarcity of waste disposal sites coupled with growing waste volumes and solid waste management challenges are generating high degree of interest in energy-from-waste systems among policy-makers, urban planners, entrepreneurs, utility companies etc.

Regional Trends

Currently, the European nations are recognized as global leaders of waste-to-energy movement. They are followed behind by the Asia Pacific region and North America respectively. In 2007 there are more than 600 WTE plants in 35 different countries, including large countries such as China and small ones such as Bermuda. Some of the newest plants are located in Asia. China is witnessing a surge in waste-to-energy installations and has plans to establish 125 new waste-to-energy plants during the twelfth five-year plan ending 2015.

Incineration is the most common waste-to-energy method used worldwide.

The United States processes 14 percent of its trash in WTE plants. Denmark, on the other hand, processes more than any other country – 54 percent of its waste materials. As at the end of 2008, Europe had more than 475 WTE plants across its regions – more than any other continent in the world – that processes an average of 59 million tonnes of waste per annum. In the same year, the European WTE industry as a whole had generated revenues of approximately US$4.5bn.

Legislative shifts by European governments have seen considerable progress made in the region’s WTE industry as well as in the implementation of advanced technology and innovative recycling solutions. The most important piece of WTE legislation pertaining to the region has been the European Union’s Landfill Directive, which was officially implemented in 2001 which has resulted in the planning and commissioning of an increasing number of WTE plants over the past five years.

The Importance of Waste-to-Energy in Solid Waste Management

  By | | , ,
8 Comments

Waste-to-energy has been evolving over the years and there are many new developments in this technology, moving in mainly one direction – to be able to applied to smaller size waste streams. Not only is it a strategy that has real importance for the current public policy, it is a strategy that will definitely present itself to additional areas.

waste-management-energy

More than 50% of waste that is burnt in waste-to-energy facilities is already part of the short carbon cycle. In which case, it has an organic derivative and it doesn’t add to climate change, to begin with. The long form carbon that is burned, things like plastics that have come out of the ground in the form of oil do add to climate change. But, they have already been used once. They have already been extracted once and what we are doing is taking the energy out of them after that physical use, capturing some of that (energy), thereby offsetting more carbon from natural gas or oil or coal. So, the net effect is a reduction in carbon emissions.

Waste-to-energy and recycling are complementary depending on the results of analyses of the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, which are absolutely valid. One can decide in specific situations whether WTE or whether some type of recycling technology would be more appropriate. It is not an either/or option.

WTE_Plant_Belgium

Waste-to-Energy is now widely accepted as a part of sustainable waste management strategy.

In Austria, it was possible to have an absolute ban on landfilling wastes exceeding 5% organic carbon. This is written in law since 1996. There were some exceptions for some period of time, but landfills of organic wastes are just banned, not just in Austria but also in other cultures similar to Austria – like Switzerland, Sweden and Germany.

Note: This excerpt is being published with the permission of our collaborative partner Be Waste Wise.

Description of a Biogas Power Plant

  By | | , , ,
14 Comments

A biogas plant is a decentralized energy system, which can lead to self-sufficiency in heat and power needs, and at the same time reduces environmental pollution. The key components of a modern biogas power (or anaerobic digestion) plant include: manure collection, anaerobic digester, effluent treatment, biogas storage, and biogas use/electricity generating equipment.

anaerobic_digestion_plant

Working of a Biogas Plant

The fresh organic waste is stored in a collection tank before its processing to the homogenization tank which is equipped with a mixer to facilitate homogenization of the waste stream. The uniformly mixed waste is passed through a macerator to obtain uniform particle size of 5-10 mm and pumped into suitable-capacity anaerobic digester where stabilization of organic waste takes place.

In anaerobic digestion, organic material is converted to biogas by a series of bacteria groups into methane and carbon dioxide. The majority of commercially operating digesters are plug flow and complete-mix reactors operating at mesophilic temperatures. The type of digester used varies with the consistency and solids content of the feedstock, with capital investment factors and with the primary purpose of digestion.

Biogas Cleanup

Biogas contain significant amount of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas which needs to be stripped off due to its highly corrosive nature. The removal of H2S takes place in a biological desulphurization unit in which a limited quantity of air is added to biogas in the presence of specialized aerobic bacteria which oxidizes H2S into elemental sulfur.

Utilization of Biogas

Biogas is dried and vented into a CHP unit to a generator to produce electricity and heat. The size of the CHP system depends on the amount of biogas produced daily.

Treatment of Digestate

The digested substrate is passed through screw presses for dewatering and then subjected to solar drying and conditioning to give high-quality organic fertilizer.  The press water is treated in an effluent treatment plant based on activated sludge process which consists of an aeration tank and a secondary clarifier. The treated wastewater is recycled to meet in-house plant requirements.

Monitoring of Environmental Parameters

A chemical laboratory is necessary to continuously monitor important environmental parameters such as BOD, COD, VFA, pH, ammonia, C:N ratio at different locations for efficient and proper functioning of the process.

Control System

The continuous monitoring of the biogas plant is achieved by using a remote control system such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This remote system facilitates immediate feedback and adjustment, which can result in energy savings.