Refuse-Derived Fuel: One of the Alternative Fuel Types

Waste-Derived Fuel: An Alternative Fuel Type The most important way to combat climate change and global warming is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. As applications involving alternative fuel types that will reduce the use of fossil fuels, particularly coal, gain increasing importance each day, waste-derived fuel (WDF) stands out as one of these alternatives. Prof. Dr. Jale Yanık, faculty member of the Organic Chemistry Department at Ege University Faculty of Science Chemistry Division, defined WDF as an alternative solid fuel type with high calorific value and combustible form that remains after the separation of recyclable materials such as plastic, glass and metal from domestic or industrial waste. Yanık stated that WDF is produced from agriculture and forestry-derived waste, domestic wastewater treatment sludge, textile waste, end-of-life tires and waste streams from domestic solid waste such as unrecyclable separated plastic and paper. Stating that WDF has many environmental benefits including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, increased energy security and reduced landfill space requirements, Yanık continued: "If we do not obtain fuel from the waste remaining after recoverable materials are removed, these materials go directly to landfills. Landfills have numerous drawbacks. Greenhouse gas emissions can occur in landfills, and at the same time they occupy our already limited land areas."

"This waste has energy equivalent to twice the calorific value of our domestic coal"

Yanık explained that WDF is burned together with coal in power plants or used for heat purposes in lime and cement factories, and continued: "Industrial waste has calorific values of 2,500 to 4,000 kilocalories per kilogram. Domestic waste is around 3,000 to 3,500 kilocalories. Considering that the calorific values of our domestic coal are 2,000 kilocalories per kilogram, the energy obtained when we produce fuel from waste will be considerably high because this waste has energy equivalent to twice the calorific value of our domestic coal." Citing a report published by Süreko, a company operating in the field of waste-to-energy production, Yanık pointed out that the amount of fuel that could be obtained from waste alone in Turkey is around 10,000 tons per day, and that the energy equivalent this amount would provide to Turkey would reduce coal imports by USD 400 million annually. Noting that the most widely used sector for WDF worldwide is the cement industry at 56%, Yanık stated: "Second is the power generation sector, where it is burned together with coal in much smaller quantities. It is also used in cogeneration (electricity and heat production) systems along with coal and in some gasification applications." Reminding that Turkey published WDF and supplementary fuel alternative raw material regulations in 2004 and revised them in 2017, Yanık said: "The responsible ministry in the regulations is the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. These regulations are very comprehensive. All necessary measures to prevent soil, air and water pollution in WDF production and use are included in this legislation."

Usage in Turkey and worldwide

Yanık shared the following information regarding waste-derived fuel usage in Turkey and worldwide:

"There are approximately 55 cement factories in our country and, to my knowledge, 35 of them have licenses to use waste as alternative fuel. In EU member states, there are 504 combustion facilities for heat generation. In these countries, approximately 50% of thermal power, and in some facilities 100% of the required thermal power, is supplied from waste. France has 117, Germany has 100, the United Kingdom has 54, Denmark has 25, Sweden has 37, Switzerland has 30, Norway has 18, Belgium has 17, Spain has 13, Italy has 37, the Netherlands has 12, Austria has 11, Finland has 9, Poland has 7, Portugal has 4, the Czech Republic has 4, Ireland has 2, Lithuania has 2, Slovakia has 2, Estonia has 1, and Hungary has 1. Even in a small country like Luxembourg there is 1." Mentioning that the waste-to-energy production process is a controversial topic worldwide, Yanık conveyed views arguing that WDF could discourage recycling or promote unregulated waste trading.   Source