I suggest expansion into Mumbai... plagued by trash, lacking reliable energy.
Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
11–20 of 62 posts
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#12Oslo is powering their city by putting black ash into the air, which absorbs heat from sunlight, slightly increasing the amount of energy in all of our environmental systems. The place is powered by externalities, just like China. This solution is no better than coal-generated electricity, and this feel-good article is no more useful than clean-coal articles.
But the ash doesn't stick around, does it? Do you have an order-of-magnitude estimate for the heating effects of the ash? I'm guessing it's trivial compared to carbon offset.
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#13Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#14Can you please come to India and help us. We need this very badly.
Hah! I just posted this. Would it make air pollution worse... or just the same?
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#15I'm still not convinced this is a viable solution for waste management (not that there's a simple alternative), given the environmental implications. Yes, air pollution is pretty regulated and has been reduced significantly since the 80's[1], but the residues resulting from the filtering process are still heavily toxic and it's not clean by any means[2].
[1] http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wtert/sofos/Waste_Inciner...
[2] Section 10: http://www.ecomed.org.uk/content/IncineratorReport_v3.pdf
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#16Oslo is powering their city by putting black ash into the air, which absorbs heat from sunlight, slightly increasing the amount of energy in all of our environmental systems. The place is powered by externalities, just like China. This solution is no better than coal-generated electricity, and this feel-good article is no more useful than clean-coal articles.
Hmm. I was under the impression that burning garbage is different in that you are burning carbon that is already in play in the carbon cycle system - unlike burning coal, which without human intervention would never be introduced into the environment at such a rapid pace. I could be wrong! I was disappointed by the lack of an explanation, or even links to background on the science of this process. Just a puff/fluff piece IMHO.
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
That was it came to my mind when I read the article!: "Why not expand to India?"
Being a tropical country, India does not need much of indoor heating. Fine option for heating water.
India needs electricity though, and this can be used to generate electricity.
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#18Could existing landfills be mined to supply this need?
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#19Oslo is powering their city by putting black ash into the air, which absorbs heat from sunlight, slightly increasing the amount of energy in all of our environmental systems. The place is powered by externalities, just like China. This solution is no better than coal-generated electricity, and this feel-good article is no more useful than clean-coal articles.
Hmm. I was under the impression that burning garbage is different in that you are burning carbon that is already in play in the carbon cycle system - unlike burning coal, which without human intervention would never be introduced into the environment at such a rapid pace. I could be wrong! I was disappointed by the lack of an explanation, or even links to background on the science of this process. Just a puff/fluff p…
It would really depend on what is being burnt. If it is primarily food waste, paper products, natural fibers, wood, etc.. then yeah; all of that carbon was already "in the system". If they are burning lots of garbage made from petrochemicals then that garbage is basically just another fossil fuel.
As I understand it, the real issue with "clean coal" is not the soot but rather the CO2. Depending on what this garbage actually is, the CO2 problem isn't really a problem in this case.
Re: Oslo is turning garbage into energy and is running out of garbage
#20Apparently Oslo needs to come help me clean my apartment.