Renewable Energy Technology Assessments - Kauai Island Utility ...

Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative
Renewable Energy Technology Assessments
3.0 Renewable Energy Technology
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Table 3-16. Plasma Arc Gasification Technology Characteristics.
Performance
Typical Duty Cycle Baseload
Net Plant Capacity, MW 6.6
Net Plant Heat Rate (HHV), Btu/kWh 19,000
MSW Consumption, tons per Day 300
Capacity Factor, percent 60-80
Economics
Capital Cost, $/kW 7,200-9,100
Fixed O&M, $/kW-yr 260-455
Variable O&M, $/MWh 20-33
Levelized Cost, $50/ton tip fee, $/MWh 39-122
Levelized Cost, $90/ton tip fee, $/MWh (64)-19
Technology Status
Commercial Status Demonstration
Installed US Capacity, MW 0
Kauai Potential Poor, given technology status
Environmental Impacts
Plasma arc technologies are well-suited for vitrification of waste materials.
Extensive documentation of testing shows that the vitreous slag has very low leaching
potential, effectively “locking up” contaminants in the solid material. Air emissions are
not as well-documented. Technology suppliers claim that the extreme temperatures of
the plasma system dissociate any harmful molecular emissions. However, very little
discussion of emissions such as mercury can be found. It does not seem that mercury
would be captured in the slag because it has such a low boiling point. Conventional
MSW mass burn and RDF facilities seem to have achieved compliance with EPA’s
emissions limits for dioxins and furans; plasma arc gasification would not seem to offer
substantial benefits over those technologies in that respect.
Kauai Outlook
Plasma arc gasification of MSW is a developmental technology that has not
gained widespread support, particularly as a power generation technology. There do
seem to be some instances in which it can be cost effective, such as in extremely land
constrained areas with significant population density. Even in these favorable conditions,
the economic viability of plasma arc projects is very subject to technology risk. It is
21 March 2005 3-41 Black & Veatch