Recycling may save, but trash can power your home

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Longtime MySpace Chief Software Architect Chris Bissell Quits

If you live in Spain that is. University of Zaragoza researchers have been looking into using various forms of solid waste to generate electricity for the nation, up to as much as 7%. What is it lately with all this decaying matter being useful?

The process involves all sorts of big, scientific sounding words like incineration, degasification, and anaerobic digestion. But the general idea is that it involves burning solid waste before it gets thrown in the landfill. This not only reduces the size and inherent risks of landfills, it can generate anywhere between 8.13 and 20.95 TWh (terawatt hours). You can find a more detailed and better explained depiction at the link below.

This research push is in response to the European Union’s 2020 20-20-20 plan. For those ignorant of the 2020 20-20-20 plan (myself included), it is as follows:

Substitute 20% of the total energy consumed in Spain for energy from renewable resources, reduce CO2 emissions by 20% in comparison with 1990 figures, increase biofuels used in transport by 10%, and achieve energy savings of 20%. All by the year 2020.

Sounds like a perfectly acceptable goal to reach for. I just want to say it one more time. 2020 20-20-20.


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